Rebuilding and Crumbling
by Matt91
Summary: This is my own version of Season 3 of One Tree Hill picking up after the Season 3 Premiere. Please check it out! NEW VERSION OF CHAPTER 49 POSTED ON 2/27/09! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
1. The Beginning

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 1!

By: Matt91 

Rating: M

Summary: This story is my own version of Season 3. It picks up right after the Season Premiere, "Like You Like An Arsonist." It will answer many questions including: Who set Dan up? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? Will Lucas and Brooke become exclusive? What will Dan do when he finds out whom set him up? What about Peyton and Ellie?

Setting: This story picks up right after the Season Three Premiere, "Like You Like An Arsonist." None of the events from future episodes are taken into account. Although, I will be taking events and ideas from spoilers I have read about future episodes.

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: I know Season three of One Tree Hill is over and I absolutely loved it but I always wanted to write my own version. So, here it is.

Apartment

"Yeah, I know things are different now. But, that doesn't change anything," says Brooke. She and Peyton are sitting in the living room, on the couch, talking.

"Doesn't it? Brooke, you and Lucas are two completely different people than you were last year. Why are you so skeptical that you guys'll work out?" asks Peyton.

"I'm not skeptical, I just don't wanna get my heart broken again," says Brooke.

"Brooke, love is a risk, a leap of faith if you will," says Peyton. "There are no guarantees!"

"Wow, that new short, straight hair has made you pretty insightful," says Brooke, jokingly.

"I'm serious, Brooke. Being with Jake taught me all that and more," says Peyton, looking down. Would she ever see Jake again?

"I know, but can you blame me for being scared?" asks Brooke, sitting up. "Look at what happened last time."

"Well, I promise, this time, I won't make out with him, even a little," says Peyton, playfully.

"Oh, that might help," says Brooke, playfully tickling Peyton.

"Seriously, though, you may think this non-monogamous relationship is gonna work but I just don't think it's right," says Peyton.

"Peyton, my track record with monogamy sucks; first, Lucas, and then Felix. I just don't wanna put myself through that type of pain ever again," says Brooke, rubbing her hands on her jeans.

"Ok, whatever you want. As long as you're ok with it," says Peyton, shrugging her shoulders.

"You're the greatest, P Sawyer," says Brooke, as they hug.

Peyton looks at the pink wall, suddenly remembering Haley and Nathan.

"How's Haley?" asks Peyton.

"Quiet," says Brooke. "She lays around, goes to work, eats, and just stays in our room. I'm worried about her!"

"Why worry about her?" asks Peyton. "She didn't worry about Nathan when she just abandoned him!"

"Peyton…" starts Brooke, looking at her accusingly.

"I know, I know, not my business," says Peyton, holding her hands up.

"Speaking of Nathan, when does he get back from High Flyers?" asks Brooke.

"Three days," says Haley, standing at the front door.

She enters the apartment.

"I just got back from the Café, I'll see you guys later," says Haley, walking into the bedroom.

"You think she heard what you said?" Brooke asks Peyton.

"Even if she did, I'm not sorry," says Peyton. "I'm not the biggest Haley James Scott fan right now!"

Café

Deb enters, to find Karen working behind the counter.

"Hey Deb, what's up?" asks Karen.

"Nothing, I just had to get out of the house," says Deb.

"What'd Dan do now?" asks Karen, as Deb sits.

"Dan is tearing the house apart looking for Nathan and Haley's annulment papers," says Deb.

"What annulment papers?" asks Karen, confused.

"Dan's lawyer had drawn up annulment papers for Nathan and Haley and Nathan signed them and Dan went to see Haley while she was on tour to get her to sign," says Deb.

"And did she sign?" asks Karen.

"Dan left them with her and Dan hasn't been able to find them since," says Deb.

"Why's Dan so anxious for their marriage to be annulled?" asks Karen.

"I don't know. I guess he thinks they made a mistake and wants their marriage to be over," says Deb.

"Well, that decision really isn't up to him, it's up to Nathan and Haley," says Karen.

Deb nods, in complete agreement. She knows that Nathan is hurting but she also knows that if he keeps pushing Haley away, she's going to walk away from him forever.

High Flyers

Nathan is in the locker room, looking at the letter Haley had written to him.

He still loves her, what is he going to do?

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 1. What'd you guys think? Was it good? Did you like it? Chapter 2, coming soon. In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	2. Surprise Return

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 2!

By: Matt91 

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have at

Apartment

Haley lies on her bed, thinking.

She has made such a mess of everything with Nathan; their entire relationship is in jeopardy. She couldn't take back what she had done, even though she wished she could. She loved the tour, it made her so happy, but being with Nathan made her even happier. She was stupid and incredibly selfish when she left Nathan for the tour, but that was done already. Where would they go from here?

Always and Forever. Did that even mean anything anymore?

Roe House-Lucas's Room

Lucas is sitting in front of the mirror.

"Honey, are you ok?" asks Karen, walking in.

"Yeah, mom, I'm fine," says Lucas, turning around to face her.

"Ok," says Karen. "Lucas, if you need to talk, I'm here."

"I know, mom, thanks," says Lucas, as Karen walks away.

How could he tell her that he had lied to her about the HCM Heart Test results?

Scott Home

"And you understand all this entails?" asks a contractor, sitting across from Dan.

They are in living room, discussing the rebuilding of Scott Motors.

"Yes, I understand," says Dan.

"Ok, well, just sign here," says the contractor, handing Dan a contract.

Dan signs and gives the contract back.

"In a couple of months, Scott Motors will be up and running again, better than ever," says the contractor.

Dan's mind suddenly fills with images from that night. Discovering the poison, fire all around him, and the paper that read, "For everything you've done." He remembers seeing the face of the person who did this to him, but he can't remember who it was.

"Mr. Scott?" asks the contractor.

"Yes, that'll be all, thank you," says Dan.

"I'll be in touch," says the contractor, as he leaves.

Dan shuts the door behind him.

Sawyer Home

"I'm coming," cries Peyton, as her doorbell rang for the fourth time.

She opens the door and sees someone she never wanted to see again standing there.

"Hi," says Ellie.

"What do you want?" asks Peyton, rudely.

"Peyton, I just wanna talk," says Ellie.

"I'm not really in the talking mood. Bye now," says Peyton, beginning to close the door.

Ellie uses her hand to push the door open.

"Peyton, please I'm only asking for five minutes," says Ellie, pleadingly.

"You got three," says Peyton, leaning against the door.

"Listen, I never meant for you to find out this way. I expected to just stay away forever. But, I couldn't do that. I had to see you," says Ellie. "My daughter."

"Don't call me that!" cries Peyton, angrily. "I'm not your daughter. I had a mother and she loved me very much. And unlike you, she never abandoned me."

"Peyton," starts Ellie.

"Goodbye," cries Peyton, slamming the door in Ellie's face.

Apartment

Brooke is in the living room, watching the Season Premiere of "What I Like About You."

"Oh, Val, you idiot, he's a total fox," cries Brooke.

There's a knock at the door.

"Coming," calls Brooke, getting up.

When she opens the door, she is shocked as to whom she sees.

"Hi, Keith," says Brooke, shock evident on her face.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 2. So, what'd you guys think? Was it good? Did you like it? Anyway, what's Keith doing back? What will happen when Nathan comes back? Will he and Haley try to reconcile? Will he and Lucas make up? Will Lucas and Brooke become exclusive? What's going to happen with Ellie? Who set Dan up? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 3, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	3. Early Return

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 3!

By: Matt91 

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Apartment

"Hey, Brooke," says Keith, smiling.

"It's so good to see you," says Brooke, pulling him into a hug.

"Please, come in," says Brooke, ushering Keith inside.

They sit down on the couch.

"How are you, Keith?" asks Brooke, looking him up and down. He looks well considering how hurt he was when he left.

"I'm doing pretty well. It was a bit touch and go there for a while, some days the pain was just unbearable, but I persevered," says Keith, half smiling.

"Aw, Keith, I'm so sorry," says Brooke, sympathetically. "Have you heard from Jules?"

"No, not at all. When I took off, I tried looking for her but I came up empty. She hurt me terribly and I hate her for that but I can't help the fact that I still love her," says Keith, sadly.

"Sounds like something Nathan would say," says Brooke, looking towards her and Haley's bedroom.

"Speaking of, how are Nathan and Haley doing? I spoke to Deb about a week ago but she only said that Haley had come back."

"Yeah, she is back and he left for High Flyers. And she's written him and called him but he's been really cold and unforgiving," explains Brooke.

"And how's she doing?" asks Keith, concerned. He loves Nathan and Haley and hates to know that they're in pain.

"Not too good. She's very gloomy and quiet and is really hurting," says Brooke, feeling badly for Haley.

"Well, I'm sure they'll work things out. They love each other," says Keith, reassuringly.

"Sometimes love isn't enough," says Brooke, as she thinks about her situation with Lucas, Nathan and Haley's situation, and Jules and Keith's situation.

Keith looks at her, in agreement. "This place looks great, Brooke. It's about a million times better than it was the last time I saw it when Nathan lived here."

"Yeah, I really worked to make it nice. When Nathan moved out, I couldn't pass up this great apartment," says Brooke, looking around at what a fine job she'd done decorating the apartment.

"And how's everyone else?" asks Keith. "Deb also told me about the dealership fire."

Brooke begins to fill him on everything else.

Café

Dan enters to find Karen and Deb talking behind the counter.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my ex-wife and ex-sister-in-law," says Dan.

Karen and Deb look at each other.

"What do you want, Dan?" asks Deb.

"Can't a guy just come by and visit?" asks Dan, slyly.

"Yes, a guy can. But, not you," says Karen.

"Can I have a coffee?" asks Dan, sitting on a stool.

"Can I have the last seventeen years back?" asks Deb, as Karen goes to pour him coffee.

"And Karen, make sure you don't put any poison in it," says Dan, as Karen pauses with the coffeepot in her hand.

"What are you implying Dan?" asks Karen, turning around, coffeepot in her hand.

"That the fire at my dealership wasn't an accident," says Dan. "But I'm sure you already knew that."

"You think someone set you up?" asks Deb, surprised.

"That's exactly what I think, Deb," says Dan, as he looks at them. "And when I find out who did it, I will make them pay."

Karen and Deb cringe at the thought of what Dan could do.

"Later, ladies," says Dan, walking out of the café.

Scott Home

Nathan is standing on the front porch, ringing the doorbell.

"Why's no answering?" Nathan asks himself.

He bends down and pulls out the spare key from under the welcome mat.

Nathan puts the key into the front door's keyhole and opens it. He grabs his luggage and heads inside.

"Mom? Dad?" calls Nathan.

Silence.

"They must be out," says Nathan.

He puts his bag down in the foyer and heads into the kitchen.

As soon as he enters the kitchen, he sees the machine blinking, signifying there's a new message.

Nathan hits the 'Play' button and Haley's voice is heard.

"Nathan, it's me, Haley. I know you probably won't get this for a while, but I just have to tell you that I'm hurting. I love you so much and I would be devastated if I lost you. You are the best thing that ever happened to me and I was selfish and stupid when I left you for the tour. You gave me an ultimatum when I left, and I made the wrong decision. Nathan, if I could go back in time and change it I would in a heartbeat. But, it's done. I wanna be with you and we have decisions that we need to make. So, please call me as soon as you get this message," plays the message.

Nathan raises his hand to hit the 'Delete' button, but then decides against it. He still loves Haley with all his heart, but she had hurt him so. How could he just forgive her?

He hears the front door and Dan enters the kitchen.

"Nathan, you're home early," says Dan, surprised.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 3. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? Is Keith back for good? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? Will Nathan and Lucas be able to rebuild their friendship and their brotherly bond? Will Lucas and Brooke become exclusive? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? What about Peyton and Ellie; will Peyton allow Ellie into her life? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 4, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	4. Unexpected Return

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 4!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Scott Home

"Nathan, you're home early," says Dan, surprised.

"Yeah, well, I was able to leave early," says Nathan, fiddling with his wedding ring.

"I see you're still wearing that," says Dan, referring to Nathan's wedding ring.

"That happens to be my wedding ring," says Nathan, annoyed.

"Yeah, the ring that symbolizes the love that was so strong that it caused your wife to leave you," says Dan, grinning.

"Screw you!" cries Nathan. "I'm sorry you didn't die in that fire, you son of a bitch!"

Nathan storms out of the kitchen.

Dan looks on, thinking. Could Nathan have tried to kill him?

Roe Home

Lucas sits on his bed, lost in thought.

He was dying; he could feel it. He incessantly gets sharp pains in his chest. Boy, how he regrets not being honest with his mom from the beginning! If only he would've told her he had HCM. What was he doing to do now? How could he just tell his mom, after all these months, that he has HCM?

Haley knocks on his door, dragging him out of his thoughts.

"Knock, knock," says Haley.

"Hey, Hales, come on in," says Lucas, motioning for her to sit.

Haley is obviously upset.

"What's wrong?" asks Lucas, worried. Haley's been his best friend for so long now and always will be!

"I'm gonna lose him, Luke," says Haley, sadly.

"What do you mean?" asks Lucas, confused.

"Nathan, he and I are over," says Haley, sadness evident in her voice.

"Hales, don't say that. There's still hope," says Lucas, trying to comfort her.

"What hope? I left him, abandoned him. How could I do that to him?" says Haley, tears flowing freely. "If I were him, I wouldn't want me back."

"Haley, listen to me," says Lucas, making her look at him. "You love him and he loves you. Loves overcomes all obstacles!"

"Not this obstacle," says Haley, hot tears spewing.

"Oh, Hales," says Lucas, hugging her. "You just gotta have some faith."

Haley just cries hysterically on Lucas's chest, letting it all out. She's truly hurting!

Scott Home

Nathan drags his bags into his room and slams his door closed.

His father has some never to talk about Haley like that. It's not that it wasn't true, but, still, no one spoke badly about the woman he loves!

Haley. She had left such a hole in his heart. But, now she was back.

Nathan pulls his cell out of his jeans pocket and dials the number for the apartment.

Apartment

"I'm glad at least everyone is doing ok," says Keith.

"Yeah," says Brooke, smiling.

"Listen, Brooke, I don't want you to tell anyone that I'm back in town. I wanna tell them myself," says Keith.

"Sure, whatever you want," says Brooke, as the phone rings.

"Excuse me," says Brooke, as she reaches for the cordless. "Hello?"

Scott Home

"Brooke, hey, it's Nathan," says Nathan. "Is Haley there?"

Apartment

"Hey, Nathan, you're back early," says Brooke. "And no Haley's out."

Scott Home

"Just do me a favor and tell her I called to let her know that I'm back and that I wanna talk to her," says Nathan.

Apartment

"No problem. It's nice to have you back, Nate," says Brooke.

Scott Home

"It's nice to be back. Thanks, Brooke. Talk to you later. Bye," says Nathan, hanging up.

Apartment

"Bye," says Brooke, hanging up.

Roe Home

"Bye, Hales," says Lucas, watching her walk off.

'Poor Haley,' thinks Lucas. 'I hope everything works out with her and Nathan."

He closes the door.

Café

Deb and Karen are getting ready to close up, when they hear the door open.

They turn around and Andy is standing there.

"Andy!" exclaims Karen.

"Hi, Karen," says Andy.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 4. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? What's Andy doing back? Will he and Karen finally work out? How will everyone else react when they find out Keith's back? And is he back for good? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? Will Nathan and Lucas be able to rebuild their friendship and their brotherly bond? Will Lucas and Brooke become exclusive? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? What about Peyton and Ellie; will Peyton allow Ellie into her life? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 5, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	5. Talking

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 5!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: I just wanted to make something clear: Those questions in the Author's Note at the end of the chapters are not meant to be answered anytime soon. Those are questions based on the overall plot of the story, which I want you to know and become familiar. They are intended to be answered anytime soon; they are overall, basic questions about this storyline. I just wanted to clear that up!

Café

"Hi, Karen," says Andy. He is standing there, soaking wet.

"Hi," says Karen, speechless. She hadn't expected to see Andy again, ever!

"Hi, Andy," says Deb. "It's good to see you."

"Hi, Deb," says Andy, walking further into the café.

"What happened to you?" asks Deb. "Why are you all wet?"

"It was pouring rain about fifteen minutes ago as I was walking her," says Andy.

"Please, sit," says Deb, motioning for Andy to sit on one of the stools.

"I'll get you a towel, so you can dry off," says Deb, heading into the back.

Andy runs his hands through his wet hair. Karen is just staring at him, in shock.

"Here you go," says Deb, handing him a towel.

"Thanks," says Andy, drying himself with the towel.

Deb sees Karen and Andy are looking at each other.

"Well, I gotta go. I'll see you guys later," says Deb, quickly grabbing her coat and heading out of the café.

"Can I take it that you're not happy to see me?" asks Andy.

"No, it's not that I'm not happy," says Karen. "I'm just surprised, especially after the way we left things."

"Karen, I know we didn't leave off on the best foot before you came back home, but I couldn't bear being without you another second," says Andy. "I love you."

"Andy, I love you, too, with all my heart," says Karen. "But, I don't know if I'm ready to have more children."

"I'll wait until you come around," says Andy.

"Andy, you're an amazing guy and deserve to be happy and have a family," says Karen.

"But, I am happy, with you," says Andy.

Karen just stares at him; he's so sweet.

"I wanna be with you, Karen," says Andy, leaning into to kiss her.

Their lips meet in a passionate kiss.

"Oh, Andy, I've missed you," says Karen.

They look in each other's eyes; their love is true and pure!

"Let's get out of here," says Karen, grabbing her jacket and hitting the lights. She and Andy leave.

Apartment

Brooke is sitting on the couch, watching TV. Keith left about ten minutes ago.

The door opens and there is Haley.

"Hey, Brooke," says Haley, hanging her coat up.

"Hey," says Brooke, as her show goes to commercial. "Nathan called."

"He did, when?" asks Haley, anxiously.

"Oh, about fifteen minutes," says Brooke.

"What did he want?" asks Haley.

"He wanted me to tell you that he was home and that he wants to talk to you," says Brooke.

Before Brooke say another word, Haley grabs her coat and flies out the door, off to see Nathan.

"Good Luck, Tutor Girl!" says Brooke.

Sawyer Home

Peyton is sitting in her room, listening to "Sugar, We're Going Down" by Fall Out Boy and thinking of Jake and Ellie.

A knock on the door snaps Peyton out of her thoughts.

"Come in," calls Peyton.

The door opens and in walks Jake.

"Oh My God! Jake!" cries Peyton, getting up and hugging him.

"It's so good to see you," says Jake.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" asks Peyton, tears in her eyes.

"No, you're not," says Jake, as they kiss.

"I cannot believe you're back," says Peyton. She is so happy to see him again! "Where's Jenny?"

"Peyton, something happened while I was gone," says Jake, looking down.

"What is it, is Jenny ok?" asks Peyton, worried.

"Yeah, she's fine. It's Nikki," says Jake.

"What about her?" asks Peyton.

"She's dead," says Jake.

"What, how?" asks Peyton, completely confused.

"Apparently, she was mixed up in a bad crowd of druggies and stuff like that. And she owed them money, lots of money. One day, she went to see them and then the next day, she was found badly beaten and dead on the street," says Jake. "The coroner's report said she was raped."

"Oh My God!" exclaims Peyton, not believing her ears. She may have hated Nikki but no one deserved that!

"How long ago was this?" asks Peyton.

"About two months ago," says Jake. "I would've come back sooner but…"

"But what?" asks Peyton, completely freaked out.

"Jenny is with her real father," says Jake, sadly.

"What do you mean her real father?" asks Peyton, not understanding.

"Peyton, Jenny wasn't actually my daughter," says Jake, single teardrops dripping down his cheek.

"Wow!" exclaims Peyton, not believing her ears. This is too much!

"Yeah, she's with her biological father in Chicago," says Jake. "His name's Scott, he's a 27-year-old lawyer. I met him at Nikki's funeral and he sued me for custody and I lost."

"Oh, Jake, I'm so sorry," says Peyton, pulling Jake into a hug. Tears are flowing freely from Jake's eyes. He really misses Jenny!

Scott Home

Haley is standing on the front porch, having just rung the doorbell.

The front door swings open and there stands Nathan.

"Hi," says Haley.

"Hi," says Nathan.

"You said you wanted to talk, so here I am," says Haley.

"Please, come in," says Nathan, as Haley enters and he shuts the front door.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 5. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? Is Jake back for good? Will he ever see Jenny again? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? How will everyone else react when they find out Keith's back? And is he back for good? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? Will Nathan and Lucas be able to rebuild their friendship and their brotherly bond? Will Lucas and Brooke become exclusive? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? What about Peyton and Ellie; will Peyton allow Ellie into her life? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 6, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	6. Nighttime Activities

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 6!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: I have not been receiving any reviews at all. I have an astounding number of Hits, but only one review. Reviews are my inspiration to write so please leave me some!

Scott Home

Nathan and Haley enter his room and Nathan sits at his desk, while Haley sits on the bed.

"It's good to see you, Nate. I didn't expect you back for another two days," says Haley, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, well, they let us leave early," says Nathan. "Besides, I wanted to come home."

"Nathan…" starts Haley.

"Haley, I got your message, but…" starts Nathan.

"But what, Nathan?" asks Haley, standing up. "I love you and you love me. What's the but?"

"The but is that you left a hole in my heart when you abandoned me," cries Nathan, standing up angrily.

"Did you get any of my calls and letters?" asks Haley.

"Yeah, I did," says Nathan, as a matter of fact.

"And you didn't even respond?" asks Haley, sounding hurt.

"No, because I was trying to forget about you," says Nathan.

"Well, Nathan, if you wanna forget about me, than that's just fine. I don't know what else you want me to do or say. I've tried and now I'm done," says Haley, taking her wedding ring off and angrily throwing it onto the bed. She storms towards the door and puts her hand on the doorknob.

"Haley," says Nathan, softness returning to his voice.

"Nathan, what do you want?" asks Haley, turning around and leaning against the wall. "I love you and I wanna be with you. I'm sorry for hurting you, what else can I say or do?"

Nathan approaches her and gets right up in her face. "I want you to make this pain go away."

Their eyes meet and in an instant, their lips meet and they begin making out.

"Nathan," calls Haley, in between kisses. "What are we doing?"

They break the kiss.

"You're right, what are we doing?" asks Nathan, shocked as to what just happened. "What the hell was I thinking?"

"You, what the hell was I thinking? What would possess me to kiss the man who's been so cold to me lately," says Haley, angrily.

"And what would possess me to kiss the wife who abandoned me?" asks Nathan.

"You know, what, Nathan, I'm done," says Haley, opening the door.

"Haley," cries Nathan, pushing the door closed.

She walks further into the room.

"Nathan, I've apologized like a million times. You're such a jerk," says Haley, scowling.

"I'm a jerk?" asks Nathan, pushing Haley up against the wall. "I didn't abandon you for months."

"Get off of me!" cries Haley, pushing Nathan off of her. "I'm sorry I ever married you."

"Same here," says Nathan.

They stare at each other and then run to each other and begin making out.

Nathan and Haley fall into the bed and let's say they make up for lost times, not once, but twice! They knew it was wrong, but it felt so right!

Roe Home

Karen and Andy enter the kitchen, to find Lucas eating chips.

"Andy," says Lucas, getting up and shaking his hand. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"Yeah, well, here I am," says Andy, happily. He's glad to be back!

"It's good to have you back," says Lucas, smiling. "We've missed you."

"It's good to be back and I missed you guys, too," says Andy, smiling.

"Lucas, Andy's gonna be staying with us for a while," says Karen.

"Yeah, just until the people who are renting my house leave, which should be within a week or two," says Andy.

"No problem. Stay as long as you'd like," says Lucas, walking towards his room. "Just keep it down at night, you two!"

Lucas grins and Andy and Karen share a startled look. Apparently, Lucas knew of their "nighttime" activities.

Andy and Karen look at each other and kiss. They walk hand-in-hand into Karen's bedroom.

Sawyer Home

"Wow, Peyton, this is huge," says Jake, taking in all Peyton had just told him. She's filled him on the whole Ellie story.

"Yeah, it is. Almost as big as the story about Nikki and Jenny," says Peyton, still in shock as to what Jake had told her.

"Yeah," says Jake, sadness evident on his face.

"It's 11:00, so, if you want, you can stay here tonight," says Peyton.

"Thanks, Peyt, that'd be great," says Jake, gratefully. He still loves Peyton!

Peyton shuts the lights and they get into bed, Peyton on the right side, Jake on the left. They lie facing each other, happy to be together!

Apartment

Brooke is lying in her bed, thinking of Lucas.

She does love him and care for him greatly. If only she wasn't so scared of getting hurt again!

Roe Home

Lucas is in bed, thinking of Brooke.

He wants to be with her so much; he loves her so much, but right now, she seems content on having a nonexclusive relationship.

Apartment and Roe Home-Simultaneously

"Is there hope for us?" ask Brooke and Lucas aloud.

Keith's Apartment

Keith sits in his bed, thinking.

Since coming back a few hours ago, he got his apartment back and spoke with Brooke and has caught up on everything.

He's missed a lot, but he's going to make up for it!

Scott Home

Nathan and Haley are rolling around on the bed, moaning in sheer ecstasy.

"Oh, Nathan!" cries Haley.

"Oh, Haley!" cries Nathan.

Roe Home

Karen and Andy are lying next to each in bed, just enjoying being in each other's company!

Everyone would sleep well tonight!

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 6. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? What will happen when Nathan and Haley wake up in the morning? Will Jake and Peyton get back together? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? How will everyone else react when they find out Keith's back? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? Will Nathan and Lucas be able to rebuild their friendship and their brotherly bond? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? What about Peyton and Ellie; will Peyton allow Ellie into her life? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 7, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!

Author's Note: #2: If anyone ever has any question or comments, please feel free to e-mail me!


	7. The Next Morning

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 7!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Scott Home

It's 9:00 and Haley wakes up in Nathan's arms. She feels so safe and warm! She hopes that this is the first step to their inevitable reconciliation!

Nathan wakes up, remembering the events of the previous night.

"Hey," says Haley, look up at Nathan and Haley.

"Hi," says Nathan, as he quickly gets out of bed, sheet wrapped around him.

"Nate, what's wrong?" asks Haley, sitting up, sheet wrapped around her.

"What did we do?" asks Nathan.

"We slept together," says Haley, confused.

"I know that," says Nathan. "But, what did we do? On the road to reconciliation, sleeping together isn't one of the first steps."

"What are you saying?" asks Haley, beginning to get upset.

"That last night was a mistake," says Nathan, heading into the bathroom. "In more ways than one."

Nathan closes the bathroom door, while Haley sits on the bed, obviously upset.

She quickly dresses and finds her wedding ring on the floor. She looks at it and then throws onto the desk. Haley runs out of the room, in tears.

Nathan emerges from the bathroom. What had he done? He loved Haley, but if they wanted to reconcile, sex was not the way.

He noticed Haley's wedding ring on the desk. Was this really it for them?

Sawyer Home

Jake wakes up, happy to find Peyton lying next to him.

"Hey, you," says Peyton.

"Hey," says Jake, smiling. "How'd you sleep?"

"The best I have in months," says Peyton.

"Me too," says Jake, smiling.

The doorbell rings.

"Uth, who is that at 9:00 in the morning?" asks Peyton, annoyed.

She gets out of bed and heads downstairs, followed by Jake.

Peyton opens the front door and finds Ellie standing there.

"May I help you?" asks Peyton, sarcastically.

"Now is that anyway to talk to your mother?" asks Ellie.

"This is Ellie?" asks Jake.

"Yeah, I'm Ellie," says Ellie. "Who are you?"

"I'm Peyton's boyfriend, Jake," says Jake, wrapping his arms protectively around Peyton.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm leaving town for a few months and I may not be back," says Ellie.

Peyton saddens; she's only pushing Ellie away because she's mad. If Ellie leaves, they'd never get a chance to get to know each other.

"Here's my number, I'm leaving in few days," says Ellie, handing Peyton a piece of folded paper. "If I don't hear from you, then I'll just go."

Ellie walks off and Peyton closes the door, leaning against it.

"Are you ok?" asks Jake.

"I guess," says Peyton.

Jake pulls her into a hug.

Apartment

Haley enters to find Brooke in the kitchen.

"Hey, roomie," says Brooke. "Where were you all night?"

"Out," says Haley, trying to avoid the subject.

"The last time I saw you, you were going to see Nathan," says Brooke.

Haley just stares at her.

"Oh My God!" cries Brooke, happily. "Did you and Nathan you know?"

"Yeah, we did," says Haley, exasperated.

"This is great," says Brooke, getting up and hugging Haley.

"It was great," says Haley, grinning. "I won't deny that."

Brooke smiles. "There's a but, I know it."

"Nathan said we made a mistake," says Haley, sadly. What happened really pains her!

"Oh, Haley, I'm so sorry," says Brooke, sympathetically. Nathan is really giving Haley a hard time!

"Yeah, I am too," says Haley, single tears drops falling from her eyes.

"Where's your wedding ring?" asks Brooke, noticing it's not on Haley's finger.

"I left it at Nathan's," says Haley.

"Does that mean you guys are really over?" asks Brooke, shocked.

"Apparently so. All I know is that I'm no longer going to mope around, school starts in two days and I'm going to open to going out with new guys," says Haley, trying to be strong on the outside, when truly she was dying on the inside!

"That's the spirit," says Brooke, trying to encourage Haley. She thinks Nathan and Haley are a great couple, but maybe they're just not meant to be!

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 7. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? How will things go once school starts? Will Haley really start dating other guys? Will Jake and Peyton get back together? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? How will everyone else react when they find out Keith's back? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? Will Nathan and Lucas be able to rebuild their friendship and their brotherly bond? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? Will Peyton just let Ellie leave town, without even giving her a chance? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 8, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!!

Author's Note #2: I know this chapter was kind of short and basic/simple, but I just needed a chapter to sort of build up/be a prequel to the next few chapters, which I promise will be longer and will include more things happening!


	8. The First Day of School

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 8!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Apartment

Haley and Brooke are in the kitchen, having breakfast.

"Um, Brooke, these bagels are delicious," says Haley. "Where'd you get them?"

"Dunkin Donuts. They have the best toasted bagels with butter," says Brooke, smiling.

Haley sips her Hazelnut coffee, while Brooke sips her French Vanilla coffee.

They're both thinking about today for it's the first day of school. So much had changed since last year. It's hard to believe that senior year is already starting. So much had happened last year and hopefully this year would prove to be better.

Haley has begun to accept the fact that she and Nathan are through. While she still loves him with all her heart and doesn't wanna lose him, she can't keep being so naïve. It seems that Nathan will never forgive her, so she might as well try to move on. Try being the keyword in that sentence; is it even possible for Haley to find love again? Whether or not she could find love, she's going to give it her all, starting today!

Sawyer Home

Jake and Peyton sit in the kitchen, drinking coffee.

"You ready for the first day?" asks Jake.

"Not even remotely. So much is going on, I can't even begin to wrap my mind around starting a new year," says Peyton. "Especially when I have to see Haley hurt because Nathan's pushing her away."

"You're not on her side at all, are you?" asks Jake, sipping his coffee.

"I'm not her biggest fan right now. I don't hate her, but I hate what she did to Nathan. She had no right to just abandon him for months. And then, she comes back and just expects everything to be the way it was before she left," says Peyton.

"Peyton, you gotta give her a break. She was just following her dreams," says Jake. "Maybe you're not really angry at the fact that Haley left, maybe you're just jealous because she got a shot in the music world and you didn't."

Peyton sits there, shocked as to what Jake has just said to her.

"Jake, how could you say such a thing?" asks Peyton, hurt.

"Peyton, I'm sorry, but I don't feel that you're angry at her because she left. I feel you're angry because she got a shot in a world you've always loved and wanted to be a part of," says Jake.

"Get out!" cries Peyton.

"What?" asks Jake, confused.

"I said get out," repeats Peyton. "At a time when my life is falling apart, I don't need to spiral further towards insanity because of the insensitivity of the man I thought I loved."

Jake gets up, not believing that Peyton just said, "The man I thought I loved."

"Well, apparently, the women I thought I loved no longer exists," says Jake, heading out of the kitchen and slamming the front door closed.

Peyton sits at the table thinking. Was Jake really right? Was she jealous that Haley had received the opportunity to pursue her music career and she hadn't?

Roe Home

Lucas sits on his bed, writing a wish list for the next school year.

"Lucas, you're gonna be late if you don't get going," calls Karen from the kitchen.

"Got it, mom," calls Lucas. Lucas looks over item number 7 on his list.

'I just couldn't let Dan die. I had to save him,' thinks Lucas to himself.

He quickly looks the entire list over. It would be so great if all this really did happen!

Lucas puts the list on his desk and heads out of the room.

The list reads, "What I'd Like To Happen In My Senior Year:

Brooke and I will get together, exclusively

2.) Nathan and Haley will reconcile

3.) Nathan and I will make up

4.) My mom and Andy will get married

5.) Keith and Jules will return and be together again

6.) Jake will come back and he and Peyton will get together again

7.) We will learn who set the fire at Dan's dealership."

(Author's Note: Number 7 is the most important one, and will be answered in an upcoming chapter. The rest of the items on the list (numbers 1-6) will be answered throughout the story, while number 7 will be answered soon!)

Tree Hill High

Brooke and Haley pull up in Brooke's car.

Haley takes a long look at the school she had left behind. She's ready to start over, or at least, she hopes she is.

"Let's go," says Brooke, as she and Haley get out of the car. "Got your schedule?"

"Yeah," says Haley, noticing that everyone was looking at her. "Is it just me or is everyone staring at me?"

"Uh," says Brooke, looking around and seeing Haley is right. "Just ignore them."

They into the building.

"Ok, so, what locker number are you?" asks Brooke.

"1164," says Haley, reading her locker number from a piece of paper.

"Oh, it must be alphabetical because I'm 934," says Brooke. "See you later."

Haley walks towards her locker and sees Lucas has the locker next to hers.

"Hey, Hales," says Lucas.

"Hey," says Brooke, as they hug.

"What's wrong?" asks Lucas, noticing the concerned look on her face.

"It's alphabetical so if I'm locker 1164 and you're locker 1163, then that means…" starts Haley, as she sees Nathan close his locker.

"I'm locker 1165," says Nathan, glaring at them. "You should've used your stage name, Haley."

(Author's Note: I took the line that Nathan just said, "You should've used your stage name," from Season 3, Episode 3, "The First Day on a Brand New Planet.")

Haley sighs, as she watches Nathan walk off.

"Five minutes," says Haley, aloud.

"What's five minutes?" asks Lucas.

"Five minutes was how long it took for my day to be ruined," says Haley. "I guess he's till upset that we slept together the other night."

"What?" cries Lucas.

"Oh, that's right, I didn't tell you," says Haley, rubbing her temples. "Nathan and I slept together the other night."

"What, how, why?" asks Lucas, panicking.

"Well, I went over to his house so we could talk and things got intense. We were arguing and stuff and all that passion just led to it," explains Haley.

"What happened after that?" asks Lucas, still upset that Haley hadn't told him what happened.

"Oh, we, ah, woke up and then he said we made a mistake because on the road to reconciliation, if that road even exists for us, sleeping together isn't one of the first steps," says Haley, trying to hide her pain.

"Oh, Hales, I'm sorry. You wanna talk about it?" asks Lucas.

"Not really. There's nothing to talk about. I left Nathan my wedding ring and I'm moving on," says Haley. "I'm going to stop living in the past, I'm gonna be happy again."

"That's great, Hales," says Lucas, trying to be supportive. Yet, he sees right through her; he's known her long enough to know how to read her and at certain times, like now, she's three- dimensional, at least to him, anyway.

"What do you have first period?" asks Haley.

"Uh, English with Mr. Smith," says Lucas, looking at his schedule.

"Me too," says Lucas, smiling.

"Ok, well, let's go," says Haley, as they head towards Mr. Smith's classroom.

When they enter, they see Brooke, Nathan, Peyton, and Jake there.

Haley and Nathan look at each other, as do Nathan and Lucas.

"Hey guys," says Jake. "I'm back."

"It's great to have you back," says Lucas, as he and Haley sit.

"We'll talk later," says Brooke.

Mr. Smith enters the classroom. He is a man in his early 30's, with black hair and brown eyes. He is wearing jeans and a blue polo.

"Good morning everyone and welcome back. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Mr. Smith. This is English 7, a Senior English class. We will be reading a lot of literature this year from many different genres. I expect you all to study for tests, hand in work on time, and not to let your 'Senior-itis' control you in this class. You may be seniors but in order to graduate, you need this credit," says Mr. Smith, walking towards his desk.

Mr. Smith looks around and sees Haley.

"Well, Mrs. James, isn't it nice to see you," says Mr. Smith. He had Haley for Economics last year. "I didn't think you were coming back."

He looks at the attendance sheet. "According to this, you go by Mrs. Haley James Scott."

"Yes, I do," says Haley.

"Well, I, for one, never expected to see you again. I mean you left quite abruptly to pursue your music career last year," says Mr. Smith. "Speaking of, you were quite the sensation."

Everyone begins laughing.

Haley buries her hand in her hands, embarrassed. This is going to be harder than she thought!

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 8. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? How will things work out in school? Will Peyton and Jake make up? Will Haley really start dating other guys? Will Jake and Peyton get back together? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? How will everyone else react when they find out Keith's back? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? Will Nathan and Lucas be able to rebuild their friendship and their brotherly bond? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? Will Peyton just let Ellie leave town, without even giving her a chance? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 9, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!

Author's Note #2: As I had said, I am going to be using certain things from the show in my story. Also many of you have been looking forward to the Lucas storyline playing out. That storyline will be played out greatly once basketball season starts, which should be within a few chapters. This chapter was the longest chapter I've written so far and from now on, the chapters should be of a good length. I have big plans for this story; I'm just waiting to see the type of response I get to my chapters!


	9. New Beginnings?

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 9!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Tree Hill High-Lunch Period

"Hales, wait up," says Lucas, as he enters the cafeteria.

"Hey, Luke," says Haley, still reeling from the incident earlier in English.

"You ok?" asks Lucas. "Mr. Smith was a little rude in English earlier."

"I'm coping," says Haley, as she looks around and sees everyone looking at and talking about her. "I think I'll just be the talk of the school for a while."

"It's ok," says Lucas, wrapping his arm around her. "I got your back."

"Thanks, Luke," says Haley, smiling. "No matter what, you've always been there for me."

"Oh, come on, what are best friends for?" asks Lucas, laughing.

"Lucas, Haley, over here," calls Brooke, from the other side of the cafeteria.

Lucas and Haley approach the table and see Brooke is sitting with Nathan, Jake, and Peyton.

Haley and Lucas sit.

"Well, if you're gonna sit here, then I'm getting up," Nathan says to Haley.

"Nathan," calls Brooke.

Nathan rises from the table and grabs his bag.

Haley sighs. Is it even possible for her to move on?

Café

Deb enters the café, to find Karen and Andy.

"Hey guys," says Deb.

"Hey, Deb," says Andy.

Deb goes behind the counter and begins filling the coffee pot.

"Deb, is Dan still obsessed with figuring out who tried to kill him?" asks Karen.

Deb turns around. "Yes, he is. But, at least, he's packing up his stuff and is on his way to move out."

"So, the divorce is final?" asks Karen.

"Almost. A few papers and court hearings and I'll be a free woman," says Deb. "A wealthy free woman."

"How much are you getting?" asks Karen.

"I get the house and everything in it, the car, and half the money," explains Deb. "I also get alimony payments."

"Sounds nice," says Andy, supportively.

"Yeah, well, I get what I deserve," says Deb. "Dan's put me through so much, he knows I deserve this."

"And what about Nathan?" asks Karen. "Is he still going to stay with you? Are he and Haley trying to work things out?"

"I know he's definitely staying," says Deb. "As for him and Haley, I don't know what's going on with them. He hasn't said anything."

"Well, I hope he forgives her," says Andy. "She never meant to hurt him."

"I know that and he knows that, too," says Deb. "But, the sting of betrayal is great!"

They sit in silence, wondering what the future holds for Nathan and Haley.

Tree Hill High-Cafeteria

"I'll see you later, guys," says Haley. "I gotta head to my locker and grab some stuff."

Haley picks up her books and heads towards the exit.

As she walks, she looks at Nathan, sitting with some of the guys from basketball. She isn't paying attention as she bumps into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry," says Haley, bending down to pick up her books. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," says the guy, bending down to help her.

Haley stands up and puts her books in her bag.

"Thanks," says Haley. She looks up and sees a tall, well-built guy of about 5' 9" with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"No problem," says the guy. "I'm Bryce, Bryce Smith. A Senior."

"Haley, Haley James Scott," says Haley, as they shake hands. "I'm also a Senior."

"Right, you're Nathan's wife," says Bryce.

"Actually, we're separated because I left him to go on a music tour and then I came back and he is really mad at me," rambles Haley. She stops herself before she goes completely overboard! What's making her share so much with a guy she just met?

"Yes, I've heard," says Bryce.

"You have?" asks Haley, confused. "How?"

"Oh, it's all around school," says Bryce.

"Oh, really?" asks Haley.

"Yeah, you know how High School is," says Bryce, laughing.

Haley laughs.

"I've never seen you around before, are you new?" asks Haley.

"No, I transferred in middle of last year," says Bryce. "When you were on tour."

"Oh, right," says Haley.

"I hope I'm not being too forward or anything, but I'm still sort of the new guy and don't know that many people. So, I was wondering if maybe you'd wanna hang out after school," says Bryce.

"Yeah, sure that sounds great," says Haley. "I only have Ms. James next period and I'm done for the day."

"I only have one more class to," says Bryce. "So, how about I meet you in the courtyard around 1:30?"

"Sounds good," says Haley.

"Great, you see later," says Bryce, as he walks away,

Haley smiles. Maybe it wasn't going to be so difficult to move on after all!

Nathan, seated with some of the guys from basketball, overheard the entire conversation between Haley and Bryce. Is she actually moving on? And if she is, is he ready to let go?

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 9. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? How will things work out in school? Will Haley and Bryce get serious? Will Peyton and Jake make up? Will Haley really start dating other guys? Will Jake and Peyton get back together? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? How will everyone else react when they find out Keith's back? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? Will Nathan and Lucas be able to rebuild their friendship and their brotherly bond? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? Will Peyton just let Ellie leave town, without even giving her a chance? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 10, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!

Author's Note #2: I hope you guys like Bryce somewhat, from the little you know about him. I will characterize him more as the story progresses. I definitely intend to build on the Nathan/Haley/Bryce love triangle! I have big plans in store for that part of the story.


	10. Regret

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 10!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Steve & Jay's Pizzeria

Bryce and Haley are there.

"You did not?" asks Haley, not believing him.

"I did, I was acting out a skit junior year in my old school, and I was walking around the room. Then, bam, I fell flat on my face," says Bryce.

Haley begins hysterically laughing.

"Hey, it's not that funny," says Bryce, cracking a smile.

"Uh, yes, it is," says Haley, continuing to laugh.

"So, Haley, tell me. What's going on with you and Nathan?" asks Bryce, getting serious.

Haley stops laughing and her face grows solemn.

"I don't mean to pry or anything," says Bryce. "But, there's so many rumors going around school, I was just wondering."

"Well, Nathan and I are having a real rough time right now," says Haley. "I had gone on a music tour and left Nathan without calling or anything for months. And now he resents me for it and is really hurting, I really hurt him by leaving. Then, the other day, him and I were arguing and we wound up sleeping together. When we woke up, he said we made a mistake and I was crushed."

Haley kicks herself for sharing so much with a guy she barely knows.

"Oh, Haley, I'm so sorry," says Bryce, sympathetically.

"It's ok," says Haley. "Before I left that day, I threw my wedding ring on his desk. I'm ready to move on."

Bryce puts his hands on top of her hands and they both smile.

There's clearly something between them!

Apartment

"And he accused you of being jealous of Haley?" asks Brooke.

"Yeah, he did," says Peyton, looking down.

"What's the matter?" asks Brooke, seeing the pain on Peyton's face.

"I don't think Jake's wrong," says Peyton.

"What do you mean?" asks Brooke, confused.

"Part of it is that I'm angry at Haley for leaving without even calling Nathan, and as much as I hate to admit this, I think the other part of it is that I'm jealous," says Peyton. "I mean I've been into music for years now and Haley does it for about a month and she goes on a tour and becomes famous."

"There's something else," says Brooke. "I know you too well, P Sawyer, spill."

"Ellie's gone," says Peyton.

"And this is a bad thing?" asks Brooke, confused. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with her."

"I only said that. Truthfully, I was scared of losing her too. She dropped by two days before school started and said she was leaving soon for a few months and wasn't sure if she's be back. She left me her number and said that if she didn't hear from me, she'd just leave," says Peyton. "I had found out what hotel she was staying at, so I went to see her and the hotel clerk said she checked out, but left me this."

Peyton pulls a piece of paper out of her pocket and hands it to Brooke.

"Dear Peyton,

If you're reading this, then I have left. I guess you didn't wanna get to know me, after all. I do not blame you and completely understand how you feel. I've gone to San Francisco to stay with some family and I don't think I'll be back. It's too bad we didn't get the opportunity to know each other. Have a nice life and hold onto Jake, he's a keeper!

-Ellie."

Peyton starts crying and Brooke hugs her.

Roe Home

Lucas opens his drawer and pulls out a wooden box.

He opens the wooden box and there is a bottle of HCM medicine and $100.

Lucas has been using the money he's been making working at the café to buy HCM medication. But, he had still gone without the medication for months and one bottle only lasts a week and payday is every two weeks.

Lucas knows his heart if weak, he can feel it. One false move and he could be a goner!

There is a knock at the front door.

He goes to answer the door and when he opens it, he is surprised to find Nathan standing there.

"Nathan, what are you doing here?" asks Lucas, surprised to see him.

"Do you know who Bryce Smith is?" asks Nathan, entering the house.

"Yeah, Senior, captain of the Swim Team, I see him in the gym all the time," explains Lucas. "Why?"

"Because he and Haley are hanging out together and I think they might like each other," says Nathan.

"Nate, listen, you didn't want anything to do with me anymore, so I am not getting involved," says Lucas.

Nathan walks to the door and puts his hand on the knob, but turns around.

"Luke?" asks Nathan.

"What?" asks Lucas, annoyed.

"I'm sorry," says Nathan.

"Sorry for what?" asks Lucas, not satisfied with the apology.

"For everything. For getting mad at you and wanting nothing to do with you anymore. I had no right to get mad at you for going to see Haley," says Nathan. "I'm sorry!"

Lucas stares at him.

"Friends and brothers again?" asks Nathan, extending his hand.

Lucas extends his arm and they shake hands and they have a manly hug,

"So, wanna get a bite and catch up?" asks Lucas.

"Let's go," says Nathan, smiling.

They head out of the house.

Both Nathan and Lucas are happy to be friends and brothers again!

Boardwalk

"Beautiful day," says Haley, while glancing at Bryce. He's so hot! He has such a strong built and bulging muscles. Bryce looks so amazing in his white t-shirt and blue jeans.

She and Bryce are walking along the boardwalk.

"It is," says Bryce, looking at his watch. "Listen, I gotta go. But, I had a really great time today. We should do this again."

"I did too," says Haley. "And yeah, we should."

"See ya," says Bryce, walking off.

Haley watches him walk away. Is she falling for him?

Haley walks along the boardwalk and runs into Mouth.

"Hey, Mouth," says Haley. "What are you doing?"

"Hey, Haley," says Mouth, handing her a flyer. "I've just been passing these around."

"The Annual Tree Hill High Back To School Carnival!" reads Haley. "Wow, I completely forgot about that."

"Yeah, it's next Friday at 7," says Mouth.

"I'll be there," says Haley.

"Great," says Mouth, smiling. "Bye."

"Bye," says Haley.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 10. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? How will things be that Nathan and Lucas have made up? How will things work out in school? Will Haley and Bryce get serious? Will Peyton and Jake make up? Will Haley really start dating other guys? Will Jake and Peyton get back together? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? How will everyone else react when they find out Keith's back? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? What will happen with Peyton and Ellie? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 11, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!

Author's Note #2: Next chapter will be the Annual Tree Hill High Back To School Carnival! Get ready for the infamous Dunk Tank!


	11. Tree Hill High Back To School Carnival

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 11!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

A Week Later

It is currently Friday, the day of the Annual Tree Hill High Back To School Carnival. Nathan and Lucas have become quite close again and have been able to rebuild their friendship and their brotherly bond. Things have returned to the way they were between them in Season two. Haley is still being teased about her rock star status, while she and Bryce are getting to know each other better. Peyton and Jake have made up and they are a couple again. Lucas is trying to get Brooke to drop this whole non-exclusive thing, but to no avail.

Tree Hill High-Lunch

Haley and Bryce are sitting together, talking. Haley's wearing a pink shirt and dark blue jeans. Bryce is wearing a black muscle shirt, which accentuates his nice built, and black jeans.

"So, next period I have Ms. Smith and you have Mr. James," says Haley.

"Right," says Bryce. "So, we'll meet up by your locker after class."

"Actually, I was just thinking of heading back to my apartment and then we could go to the carnival later," says Haley. "I have work to make up from when I was gone last year and I need some time alone."

"Sure, no problem," says Bryce. "Carnival's at 6 in the gym. Pick you up at 5:45?"

"Perfect," says Haley, smiling.

Bryce smiles. He really likes Haley and wants to be with her. Yet, he knows she's still hurting over Nathan and trying to move on, so he's going slowly.

Haley sees Lucas and Brooke pass by. "See ya later, Bryce."

Haley walks up to them and taps Lucas on the shoulder.

"Hey, Luke, Brooke," says Haley, as they turns around.

"Hey, Hales," says Lucas, as they hug. "Long time no see."

"It's good to see you. We haven't seen much of you lately," says Brooke, as they also hug.

"Yeah, I know, I've spending a lot of time with Bryce," says Haley.

Brooke grins.

"What?" asks Haley, noticing Brooke's grin.

Brooke looks at Lucas. "Girl talk, Luke."

"Got it. I gotta go meet Nathan anyway," says Lucas. "See you guys later."

He walks off.

Brooke and Haley link arms and walk into the hallway.

"So, you've spending all your time with the Captain of the Swim Team, the hottest guy in school," says Brooke. "Gorgeous body, six-pack, rock hard abs."

"He is nice looking," says Haley.

"I knew it!" cries Brooke, as they stop by Brooke's locker. "You like him."

"Bryce is really great; funny, smart, caring, and he is nice looking," says Haley, a bit reluctantly.

"He's not just nice looking, he's gorgeous," says Brooke.

Haley half smiles.

"Haley, what's wrong?" asks Brooke. "I can see there's something wrong. It's written all over your face."

They head into the courtyard and sit.

"Spill," says Brooke.

"I do like Bryce," says Haley. "But, I feel like I'm betraying Nathan somehow."

"That's ridiculous!" exclaims Brooke. "Nathan rejected your love. He was the one who pushed you away. He's been cold and mean to you, not the other way around. Nathan doesn't seem like he'll ever forgive you, so you have to move on."

"You're right," says Haley. "You're totally right."

"Good, now who are you going to the carnival with?" asks Brooke.

"Bryce," says Haley, sheepishly.

"Oh My God! This is your first date," says Brooke, excited.

"What? No," says Haley, not believing it.

"Oh, yes it is. Come on, we have to get you ready," says Brooke, pulling Haley towards the school.

Lucas and Nathan are on the other side of the courtyard and they overheard Brooke and Haley's entire conversation.

"She's falling for him," says Nathan.

"Nate, I know Haley. She won't rush into anything," says Lucas.

"Still, she's ready to move on," says Nathan, upset.

"Do you love her?" asks Lucas.

"Yes," says Nathan.

"Do you wanna be with her?" asks Lucas.

"Of course," says Nathan.

"Then, what's holding you back?" asks Lucas, confused.

"Haley left me for months and hurt me so. I don't trust her anymore," says Nathan.

"Well, Nate you gotta decide: Are you going to forgive Haley or watch her be with someone else?" asks Lucas.

Nathan looks at Lucas, knowing he's right.

Apartment-5:45

Haley is wearing a blue blouse, blue jeans, and a white sweater. Her hair is up in a ponytail.

"Brooke, Bryce'll be here any second," calls Haley, whose checking herself out in the mirror.

Brooke emerges from the bathroom.

"A little perfume," says Brooke, spraying Haley with perfume. "There, you're all set."

"Wow, I have butterflies in my stomach," says Haley, obviously nervous. It's been a while since she went on a first date.

"Don't worry," says Brooke, reassuringly. "Everything'll be fine."

"How do I even know if he considers this a date?" asks Haley.

"If he brings you flowers, then it's a date," says Brooke.

There is a knock on the door and Haley goes to answer it.

When she opens the door, she sees Bryce. He is wearing a black sweater, black jeans, and a black jacket. Bryce is holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Hey, Bryce," says Haley.

"Hey, Haley," says Bryce. "These are for you."

He hands her the flowers.

"Aw, that's so sweet, thank you," says Haley, smiling. "Brooke!"

Brooke walks up next to Haley.

"Bryce, this is Brooke Davis, my roommate and captain of the cheerleading squad," introduces Haley. "Brooke, this is Bryce Smith, captain of the Swim Team."

"Nice to meet you," says Bryce.

"You too," says Brooke, smiling. "Oh, he brought you flowers, how thoughtful."

"Brooke, just please put these in water," says Haley, handing the flowers to Brooke.

"Ok," says Brooke, looking at the flowers. "See you guys at the Carnival."

"Ok, bye," says Haley, stepping out of the apartment and closing the door behind her.

Brooke walks over to the counter, puts the flowers in a vase, puts water in the vase, and puts them on the counter.

She's happy for Haley, she wants her to be happy again!

Annual Tree Hill High Back To School Carnival

The Tree Hill High Gymnasium is fill of typical Carnival type events; Dunk Tank, basketball, dart throwing, ring tossing, water shooting, number wheel, knockdown, as well as others.

Outside the school, in the courtyard, we see hundreds of Tree Hill High students waiting to get in.

Lucas and Nathan are standing together, as are Peyton and Jake, Brooke and Mouth, and Haley and Bryce.

Whitey comes outside and opens the doors.

Everyone rushes inside and looks around to see all of the events at the Carnival.

After about five minutes of gaming, Principal Jones takes center stage.

"Good evening students. Tonight is the annual Tree Hill High Back To School Carnival. This is a night for you all to have fun and for those of you who are seniors, this is your last Carnival here, at Tree Hill High," says Principal Jones.

He walks in front of the dunk tank.

"Now, for our special dunkee of the Dunk Tank tonight," says Principal Jones. "Allow me to present Dan Scott."

Lucas and Nathan look at each other.

"This is too good to be true," says Lucas, doubtful.

"It has to be a trick," says Nathan, also doubtful.

Dan walks out in basketball shorts and a sports jersey, both blue.

"Wow, it really is Dan," says Lucas.

"I got first dunk," cries Nathan, as Dan sits atop the Dunk Tank.

Nathan buys three balls to throw at the target, in order to dunk Dan.

Lucas, Peyton, Jake, Haley, Bryce, Brooke, and Mouth gather around him.

"Come on, Nate," encourages Lucas. "You can do it!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," says Dan. "Nathan couldn't hit the target if it was right in front of him."

"Wanna bet?" asks Haley. "Show him Nathan!"

Nathan throws the ball, hitting the target and dunking Dan.

"Way to go Nate," says Lucas, slapping him five.

"Woot, woot!" says Karen, approaching everyone.

"Mom, seriously never say that again," says Lucas, looking around, slightly embarrassed.

Karen laughs. "So, what'd I miss?"

"I just dunked my father," says Nathan, smiling.

Dan emerges from the water, soaked. He sits himself atop the Dunk Tank.

"I bet you can't do that again," says Dan, tauntingly.

Nathan picks up a ball but Lucas grabs it. "I got this one."

Lucas throws the ball, hitting the target and dunking Nathan.

"Way to show him," says Nathan, slapping him five.

Dan emerges from the Dunk Tank and approaches Lucas and Nathan.

"You guys think you're so hot," says Dan, soaking wet.. "Why don't you guys go up there and I'll show you how it's done?"

Nathan and Lucas look at each other.

"Why not?" asks Lucas, shrugging his shoulders.

"Let's go," says Nathan.

Lucas and Nathan climb atop the Dunk Tank.

Dan throws the first ball and misses.

"What's the matter dad, lost your juice?" taunts Nathan.

Dan throws the ball again and misses.

"Like he ever had any," says Lucas, as he and Nathan laugh.

Dan throws the ball, but this time, he hits the target and dunks Lucas and Nathan.

"That'll teach them to mess with me," says Dan, walking off.

Lucas and Nathan emerge from the Dunk Tank and approach everyone. Lucas' orange t-shirt and blue jeans are soaked, as well as Nathan's black polo and black jeans.

"You guys ok?" asks Peyton, laughing.

"Yeah, we're fine," says Lucas, as he and Nathan run their hands through their hair.

"We dunked Dan so we're good," says Nathan, smiling.

Nathan and Lucas do their special handshake, which they make up.

Everyone had a great time the rest of the night!

We join Haley and Bryce, as he is dropping her off.

"I had a great time," says Haley, pulling out her keys.

"I did, too," says Bryce, as Haley fiddles with her keys.

Their eyes lock and before they know it, they kiss.

They break apart.

"That was nice," says Haley.

"It was," says Bryce. "Listen, Haley, I like you but I know you're hurting over Nathan and are struggling to move on, so I don't want to push you. We can go as slow as you want."

Haley smiles. "I like you, too."

"Goodnight," says Bryce, walking off.

Haley unlocks and opens the apartment door. Maybe she is truly ready to move on!

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 11. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? How will things work out in school? Will Haley and Bryce get serious? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? How will everyone else react when they find out Keith's back? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? What's going to happen with Peyton and Ellie? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 12, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!

Author's Note #2: So, this chapter was almost seven complete pages in Microsoft Word. That makes this chapter the longest one so far.


	12. Venting, Return of the Past

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 12!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Cafe

Andy and Karen are there, talking.

"So, what do you say to a weekend getaway in the country?" asks Andy.

"It's already 10:00 Saturday morning," says Karen. "What weekend?"

"Correction, it's only 10:00. If we leave within an hour or so, we'll get there around 2 or 3," says Andy.

"Well, I can leave Deb in charge of the café," says Karen, a bit reluctantly.

"So, is that a yes?" asks Andy, hopefully. He and Karen need a weekend alone!

"Yes, let's go," says Karen, smiling.

"Oh, you're the greatest!" exclaims Andy, kissing Karen.

Haley and Lucas walk in to see Karen and Andy kissing.

"Oh, sorry, should we come back later?" asks Lucas, jokingly.

Andy and Karen break this kiss.

"Cute," says Karen.

"Your mom and I are heading to the country this weekend," Andy tells Lucas.

"Oh, that's great," says Lucas, smiling.

"Yeah, the country is so beautiful," says Haley.

Karen looks at her watch.

"Ok, well, if we wanna leave within an hour, I gotta go home and pack," says Karen, as she and Andy head to the door.

"Deb should be here soon, can you guys stay here until she comes?" asks Karen. "And then tell her I left?"

"Got it," says Haley.

Andy and Karen leave.

"I'm happy for your mom," Haley tells Lucas. "She seems really happy with Andy."

"Yeah, she does," says Lucas. "She finally deserves to be happy!"

"Ok, well, this place isn't gonna have any business unless we make some coffee," says Haley, walking behind the counter and making coffee.

"Hales," calls Lucas, leaning against the counter.

"Yeah?" asks Haley, turning around when the sound that the coffee's perking is heard.

"What's going on with you and Bryce?" asks Lucas.

"Nothing," says Haley, putting an apron on and trying to avoid the subject.

"Hales, I can tell that it's not just nothing," says Lucas. "Talk to me."

"Ok," says Haley, as they both sit at the counter.

"Do you like him?" asks Lucas.

"Yes, Luke, I do, I like him a lot," says Haley. "I haven't felt this way in a long time."

"What way?" asks Lucas, confused.

"When I'm around him, I just feel so…right. My heart beats fast and I just have this overwhelming sense of happiness," says Haley, a huge smile plastered on her face. "Something I haven't felt since…"

"Nathan," finishes Lucas.

Haley nods.

"Haley, I don't wanna tell you what to do, but all I'm going to say is that Nathan doesn't like seeing you with Bryce," says Lucas.

"You mean he's jealous?" asks Haley, as a matter of fact.

"Yeah, he is. He still loves you, Hales," says Lucas.

"I love him too, but he rejected me. He pushed me away, he was cold to me, he made it crystal clear that he wanted nothing to do with me, with us," says Haley. "I'm not just going to wait around for him to have a revelation one day and realize we belong together. I'm moving on, I don't wanna hurt anymore. I just want be happy, is that too much to ask?"

"No, it's not," says Lucas. She has a completely valid point! "But, you said that you're not going to wait around for him to have a revelation and realize that you guys belong together. That means you still believe you guys belong together."

"Of course I do, I always have. But, I'm not waiting around like a loser for god knows how long for Nathan to realize that too. I'm done fawning over a man who doesn't want me, no more discussion about it," says Haley, her voice rising. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have tables to clean."

Haley gets up, grabs a rag, and goes to clean the tables.

Lucas looks at her, knowing she's hurting!

Sawyer Home

"Ok, thank you," says Peyton, as she closes the door. She is holding a package delivered to her by UPS.

She reads whom it's from and is surprised to see it's from Ellie. Yet, there's no return address.

Peyton walks into the living room and opens the box.

In it there's a letter and photos of Peyton from when she was younger.

She opens the letter.

"Dear Peyton,

I bet you never expected to hear from me again! I just wanted to write and let you know that as you were growing up, your parents didn't want you to ever meet me. I was supposed to just disappear forever. But, I couldn't do that. The pictures in this box are pictures I took of you when you were younger. I was in Tree Hill for a number of years for I wanted to know what my daughter looked like. Now, that you've made it clear you want nothing to do with me, I'd figured I'd sent you these pictures. I kept a few for myself, so I'll never forget my beautiful and headstrong daughter. I love you and I always will.

-Ellie," reads Peyton.

Peyton puts the letter in her lap and cries. She knows she made a mistake when she let Ellie go. She's determined to find a way to get in touch with Ellie, even if it means going to San Francisco!

Keith's Apartment

Keith has been enjoying his last week or so back. He's seen everyone since he's been back, but has kept his distance because he needs time to readjust to his old life.

"Where are you Jules?" asks Keith aloud.

Roe Home

Karen and Andy are preparing to leave.

"Got everything?" asks Andy.

"Yup. And I called Keith and asked him to watch over Lucas while we're gone," says Karen.

"Sounds good," says Andy, smiling. "Let's go."

They open the door and when they do, they see Jules standing there.

"Jules!" exclaims Karen, not believing her eyes.

"Hello, Karen, Andy," says Karen.

Andy and Karen stare at Jules in shock, they never expected to see her again!

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 12. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? What is Jules doing back? Will she and Keith reconcile or will Keith be angry and shun her? Will things work out in school? Will Haley and Bryce get serious? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? Will Peyton be able to get in touch with Ellie? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 13, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	13. The Return of Jules

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 13!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have at

Roe Home

Andy and Karen stare at Jules, shocked to see her.

"I take it you're surprised to see me," says Jules.

"Jules, what are you doing here?" asks Karen.

"What on earth would possess you to come back?" asks Andy "Especially after what you did to Keith."

"That's why I came back," says Jules. "May I come in?"

"No, you may not," says Karen, anger in her voice. "You hurt Keith and you are not welcome in my home."

"Excuse me, but if I remember correctly you were the one who busted me about it and made me feel guilty. That caused me to leave, I would've married Keith otherwise," Jules tells Karen.

"Oh, that would've been good, a sham of a marriage, one built on lies," says Karen.

"I love Keith whether or not you believe me," says Jules. "And I'm going to go see him."

"Jules, just go away. Keith is finally back and happy again. He doesn't need you ruining his life, you've already done that," says Karen, sadistically.

"I won't ruin his life, I love him and I wanna be with him," says Jules, stubbornly.

"Give it up, Jules. He doesn't want anything to do with you anymore," says Karen, trying to remain calm. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Andy and I are going away."

Karen walks past Jules and heads to the car.

"Andy, what do you think?" Jules asks him.

"I agree with her. Stay away from him if you know what's good for you," says Andy, closing and locking the front door.

Jules sighs deeply; she's really made a mess of things!

Café

There are some customers in the place. Haley is busy cleaning tables and Lucas is behind the counter.

The café door opens and in walks Jules.

Lucas stares at her, in awe.

"Hello, Lucas," says Jules, approaching the counter.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asks Lucas, angrily.

"I've come back to make amends for what I've done," says Jules.

"Now, that's just a laugh riot. Do you really think you can make amends for what you did? How badly you hurt Keith? How you betrayed him? How you betrayed all of us?" asks Lucas, his voice full of anger.

"I know I hurt everyone, but I can make amends for it," says Jules.

"Jules, you are so fucking naïve!" cries Lucas, banging his hand on the counter. "You killed Keith's spirit, you tore him apart. You lied to him, led him on, and left him at the altar; that pain just doesn't go away! You put on such a good act with all of us, making us believe you truly loved him. But, you were nothing but a conniving little whore. When I confronted you about Dan, you told me you wanted nothing to do with him anymore. And I, like a complete asshole, believed you. But, just like that, Dan won. His plan all along was to get revenge on Keith for sleeping with Deb and when you left Keith at the altar and he found out about your arrangement with Dan, he got his revenge! You must be living in a fucking fantasy world because none of us will ever forgive you for anything you did. You deserve to rot in hell for hurting Keith like you did, you sick son of a bitch!"

Jules stares at Lucas, dismayed.

Haley approaches Lucas.

"Lucas, why on earth are you screaming?" asks Haley, confused.

"Haley, this is Jules," Lucas tells Haley.

"Oh," says Haley, starting to get angry. Lucas had filled her in on what had happened with Keith and Jules.

"I'd leave if I were you," Haley tells Jules.

"And why would I do that, Haley?" asks Jules, not afraid.

"Because everyone here thinks you're a real bitch," says Haley, in disgust.

Jules looks between Haley and Lucas.

"I will get Keith back, regardless of what any of you say," says Jules, walking out.

"I cannot believe she came back," says Lucas, shaking his head in disgust.

"Listen, Luke," says Haley, looking down. "I'm sorry for blowing up at you earlier. I know you're only looking out for me, trying to help me. But, I'm fine. Thank you for always being there for me, though, and never stop doing that. You'll always be my best friend, Luke!"

"Always," says Lucas, as they hug.

Sawyer Home

"How could you not tell me that Ellie wanted to be a part of my life?" screams Peyton, storming into her father's bedroom.

"What are you talking about?" asks Larry, playing dumb.

"Don't play dumb with me," says Peyton, angrily. "Ellie wrote me and told me that you and mom told her to stay away when she wanted to be in my life. How could you do that?"

"Peyton, your mother and I did what we thought was best at the time. Ellie had abandoned you and had a drug addiction, so we thought it was best she leave," explains Larry.

"What about me, why didn't you even tell me?" asks Peyton.

"Peyton, you were young, we didn't want you to have to deal with this," says Larry. "So, we made the decision for you."

"Yeah, well, I pushed Ellie away because I thought she never wanted me and now she's gone," says Peyton, storming out of the room.

Larry watches his daughter walk away, knowing she's hurting.

Café

Nathan enters to find Lucas behind the counter.

"Hey, Luke," says Nathan, approaching the counter.

"Hey, Nate," says Lucas, as they knuckle.

(Author's Note: When I say, knuckle, I am referring to what they do on the show when their touch their knuckles together.)

"What's up?" asks Nathan.

"Oh, nothing, my mom and Andy went away, Jules came back," says Lucas, nonchalantly.

"Jules came back?" asks Nathan, in surprise.

"Yup, she's back. She dropped by here a little while ago," says Lucas, as Nathan sits at the counter.

"I wonder what would possess her to come back," says Nathan, curiously.

"I do not know," says Lucas.

Nathan sees Haley cleaning tables.

They share a look and Haley just walks away.

"I tried, Nate," says Lucas.

"Tried what?" asks Nathan, confused.

"I tried talking to her," says Lucas.

"And?" asks Nathan, anxiously.

"She's ready to move on," says Lucas.

Nathan's expression changes.

"I'm sorry, man," says Lucas, patting him on the back.

Keith's Apartment

"Coming," calls Keith. Someone has just knocked on his door.

Keith opens the door and his eyes widen and his mouth opens in shock when he sees Jules.

"Hello, Keith," says Jules.

"Hi," says Keith, in awe.

"Can we talk?" asks Jules.

"Jules, I want absolutely nothing to do with you anymore. You broke me heart, tore me apart, and betrayed me. You were nothing but Dan's pawn in a plot to get revenge on me and he succeeded because I fell for you, hard. He won, I lost, and we're done," says Keith, slamming the door in her face.

Keith leans against the door. What's she doing back?

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 13. I hope you enjoyed it! So, what's going to happen next? Will Jules and Keith reconcile or will Keith be angry and shun her? Will things work out in school? Will Haley and Bryce get serious? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? Who set Dan up? What will he do when he discovers who set him up? What's going to happen with Peyton and Ellie? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 14, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	14. Martial Spat

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 14!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Monday

This chapter picks up approximately two days after the last chapter. It is now Monday morning, just before school starts. Keith has been keeping to himself, trying to figure out what to do about Jules. Jules has been dropping by the café, in hopes of seeing Keith there. But, each time she goes there, everyone shuns her. Lucas and Nathan are still close, Lucas and Brooke are still non-exclusive, Nathan and Haley still aren't talking, and Andy and Karen got back late Sunday night.

We join Brooke and Haley at Tree Hill High.

"So, Haley, how are things going with you and Bryce?" asks Brooke.

"Good, slow but good," says Haley, smiling.

"Bryce is ok with going slow and everything?" asks Brooke.

"Yeah, he's been really great about it. He understands that I need time to move on from Nathan and that I don't wanna rush into anything," says Haley.

"That's great," says Brooke, smiling. "You guys make a good couple."

Haley sees Nathan.

"I'll meet you at your locker, Brooke," says Haley, walking after Nathan. "Nathan!"

He turns around.

"Hey," says Nathan.

"Hi," says Haley.

"How've you been?" asks Nathan.

"Good," says Haley. "How about you?"

"Good, getting ready for basketball season," says Nathan.

"Nathan, I just wanted to tell you that I looked into a divorce," says Haley.

"I think that's the best move," says Nathan. "What'd you find out?"

"We'd have to be separated for a year before filing," says Haley.

"Ok, well that'll be easy. Especially since you've been seeing Bryce," says Nathan, sadistically.

"Do you have some type of problem with Bryce?" asks Haley, annoyed.

"No, I have one with you. I thought you said I was the only one for you and that you'd never stop fighting for us," says Nathan, the hurt evident in his voice.

"Well, Nate, I was incredibly naïve when I said that. I thought that somehow, some way we could get back to the way things were. But, the more I tried, the more you pushed me away and the more pain I had to endure. I'm done with all that now, I wanna be happy again," says Haley, angrily.

"Well, I told you I needed you to show me that I was the only you ever wanted to be with be. And you didn't do that. Apparently, we're not soul mates. Not when you gave up on us to be with Bryce," says Nathan, with anger in his voice. He walks away.

"Screw you Nathan!" screams Haley.

Nathan walks up to her.

"I cannot believe I ever loved!" they shout at each other.

All the students stop and watch Nathan and Haley argue. Brooke runs out because someone told her what was going on.

"How could I have ever loved such a cynic?" asks Haley, in disgust.

"How could I have ever loved a little slut?" asks Nathan, snarling.

Tears begin to form in Haley's eyes. "You know Nathan, I've learned more about you since we've been separated than I did when we were together. I used to believe you were the sweetest, most caring guy in the world. Everyone else called you an asshole, a typical jock. I defended you because I knew that was only a façade, deep down you were a good-hearted guy. And I knew that good-hearted guy for so long, but now the asshole of a jock is back again. And boy, do I regret ever becoming your tutor. It would've saved me so much pain!"

Haley turns around and sees Brooke. She walks towards her and Brooke puts her arm around Haley and they head into school together.

Café

Jules enter to find Karen and Deb behind the counter.

"Hello," says Jules, approaching the counter.

"Can we help you with something?" asks Karen, coldly.

"Karen, Deb, I can't this much longer. I know I hurt everyone, but I'm trying now," says Jules, desperation evident in her voice. "Doesn't that count at all?"

"Unfortunately, it's too little too late," says Deb.

"Fine," says Jules, dejectedly. "I'll go."

Jules walks out the café, obviously hurting.

Karen watches her leave. How can anyone ever forgive her?

Scott Home

Dan is sitting in the living room, watching television.

The doorbell rings and he goes to answer it.

When he opens the door, Jules is there.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. I knew I smelled skanky whore," says Dan, evilly.

"I just wanted you to know that I am back in town. You are one sick son of a bitch and I don't know how or why you take so much in pleasure in hurting those you care about, but Keith and I are going to be together. You may have screwed everything up because of your own personal vendettas but that will not keep Keith and I apart," says Jules, determination in her voice.

"Ok, please, Jules, who the hell are you kidding? Keith sees you as a whore and nothing more than a pawn in my revenge, he would never wanna be with you again," says Dan, grinning.

"I'll prove you wrong, I'll prove you all wrong," says Jules, beginning to walk.

"If I need to talk to you, I'll look in the phone book under h for whore!" says Dan, vindictively.

Jules walks back up to Dan and kicks him in the groin.

Dan bends over, in pain.

"Don't fuck with me!" exclaims Jules, as she walks off.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 14. I hope you enjoyed it! The suspense is building! So, what's going to happen next? Who tried to kill Dan? Will Jules and Keith reconcile or will Keith be angry and shun her? Will things work out in school? Will Haley and Bryce get serious? Will Lucas and Brooke see that they belong together? Will Andy and Karen finally work out? Will Nathan and Haley reconcile? How will the fact that Lucas has been without his HCM medication affect him? What's going to happen with Peyton and Ellie? Answers coming soon! Stay tuned! Chapter 15, coming soon! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	15. Saturday Night Part I

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 15!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Well, I am very happy to see that everyone is enjoying this story! I've had a fantastic number of Hits; keep em' coming! I promise to keep giving one hundred percent, as long as you guys continue to read and review. I am glad to see you are enjoying the direction I have taken with this story.

Anyway, here's chapter 15. I hope you enjoy it!

Apartment

It is Saturday night and Brooke is sitting on her bed, in her pajamas, with the box of letters she had written Lucas over the summer. Why is she so scared? Does she honestly think Lucas will hurt her again?

If only Lucas knew how Brooke had actually spent her summer. She was never serious about any of those guys she spoke about. When she left for the summer, after she and Lucas kissed and Lucas admitted that he wanted to be with her, all Brooke thought about was Lucas.

Brooke's thoughts are interrupted as Haley enters the bedroom, looking stunning. She is wearing a long, elegant looking black dress with beautiful silver earrings and her hair is up in a ponytail.

"Woah, hottie alert!" exclaims Brooke, smiling. "Where are you off to?"

"Bryce and I have a date," says Haley, spraying herself with her perfume.

"Oh," says Brooke, grinning. "Should I prepare the scrunchy system?"

"Brooke!" exclaims Haley. "You know that it's way too early in the relationship for Bryce and I to sleep together."

"Oh, come on," says Brooke, getting up and helping Haley fix her hair. "You're hot, he's hot. You like him and he likes you. What's the problem?"

"The problem is that the only guy I've ever been with is Nathan," says Haley, slightly frowning.

"And you're worried Bryce won't measure up?" asks Brooke, smirking.

"Oh, Brooke, gross," says Haley, lightly hitting her.

"Seriously, though, what's wrong?" asks Brooke. "You guys have been going out for almost a month now and you guys totally have the hots for each other. Would it be so horrible if you guys had sex?"

"No, it wouldn't. Actually, I'm sure it'd be anything but horrible," says Haley, grinning.

Shesuddenly realizes what she said. "Oh, wow, I am totally your roommate!"

"Hey," says Brooke, lightly hitting her. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"But, in all seriousness, I told myself I would wait till' I was truly in love, as well as married, till' I had sex. And I did love Nathan, or at least I thought I did. But, now, I'm just scared," says Haley, honestly.

"Scared of what?" asks Brooke, confused.

"Scared of being vulnerable again. I let Nathan have all of me, my heart and my body, and I wound up paying the price. I'm scared of sleeping with Bryce because sex to me has meaning and I told myself I wouldn't have sex again until I was in love," says Haley, happy to have Brooke to talk to.

"Do you love Bryce?" asks Brooke.

"Honestly, it is way too early in the relationship for me to think about if I love Bryce. I am not ready to move that fast," says Haley, terrified of being hurt if she opens her heart again.

"Do you think you could love him?" asks Brooke, completely understanding what Haley is saying.

"Yes, I do," says Haley, smiling. She feels a very deep and intense connection with Bryce, but is it love?

"Haley, listen to me," says Brooke, taking Haley's hands. "You are a smart, sensible girl with a good head on her shoulders. Just do whatever feels right."

"Thanks, Brooke," says Haley, as she hugs Brooke.

The doorbell rings.

"That's Bryce, could you get that Brooke?" asks Haley. "I just have to run to the bathroom and touch up my lipstick."

"No problem," says Brooke, as she heads into the living room and opens up the front door.

When she opens the door, she sees Bryce standing there. He is wearing a black button down shirt with a white under shirt, black slacks, and black shoes. His blonde hair is spiked up and the definition of his muscles can clearly be seen. He's holding a bouquet of red roses and a box of chocolates.

"Hey Brooke," says Bryce, smiling.

"Hey Bryce," says Brooke, ushering him inside and closing the door.

"Is Haley ready?" asks Bryce, looking around for her.

"She'll just be a minute," Brooke tells Bryce.

There is an awkward silence.

"So, Brooke, are you going out with Lucas?" asks Bryce.

"Non-exclusively," says Brooke, as a matter of fact.

"I hear he really likes you," says Bryce.

Brooke smiles. "Haley really likes you. Did you bring protection?"

Haley walks out of the bathroom and hears Brooke's question.

"I'm sorry, what?" asks Bryce, confused.

"Brooke!" exclaims Haley. "Just ignore her, Bryce."

"Ok," says Bryce, sheepishly. "Hi."

"Hi yourself," says Haley, as they kiss.

"These are for you," says Bryce, handing her the roses and the box of chocolates.

"Oh, how sweet, thank you," says Haley, as she puts them on the counter.

"Shall we go?" asks Bryce.

"Yes, we shall," says Haley, as she grabs her purse.

Bryce opens the door and they leave.

"Have a nice time you guys. Be safe!" calls Brooke.

Haley sticks her head back in the door. "Cut it out!"

"Go!" exclaims Brooke as she ushers Haley out and closes the door.

Roe Home

Karen and Andy are sitting in the living room, watching a movie.

"Wow, Million Dollar Baby was such a great movie!" exclaims Andy.

"Definitely, very touching," says Karen, wiping away single tear drops from her eyes.

Andy pulls her into her arms.

"I'd die if anything ever happened to you," says Andy, as they kiss and share a lingering look. "Marry me!"

"What?" cries Karen, pulling away. "Tell me you just had too much to drink and that you're not serious."

"I didn't mean for it to come out like that but I am one hundred percent serious," says Andy, looking directly at Karen.

"Wow," says Karen, stunned.

"I know it's sudden but I love you Karen and I wanna spend the rest of my life with you," says Andy.

"I love you too Andy and I'd love to be your wife," says Karen, smiling.

"Really?" asks Andy, smile forming.

"Absolutely," says Karen, as they both smile.

They begin making out and fall onto the couch.

Café

Deb is working at the café, allowing Karen to have the night off. She knows that Karen and Andy need some quality time together, especially after all that's happened.

Lucas is behind the counter making coffee and Deb is sitting at the counter doing the books. Lucas had been looking forward to Saturday night for a while now. Even though he had to work for a couple of hours, he and Nathan and a couple of guys from school were gonna hang out for a couple of hours. With everything that's happened lately, Lucas really just needs a night to chill with his friends.

"So, Lucas, where's Haley tonight?" asks Deb, as she pulls a small calculator out of her bag.

"On a date," says Lucas, trying to avoid the subject. "I offered to cover her shift."

"Oh, that's great. I didn't know that she and Nathan were trying to work things out," says Deb, scribbling something onto a piece of paper.

"They're not," says Lucas, sheepishly.

Deb puts everything down and turns around to face Lucas. "What do you mean they're not trying to work things out? Then, who is she out with?"

"A guy named Bryce that she's been seeing for a few weeks now," says Lucas, facing her.

"Oh, wow," says Deb, surprised. "I had no idea."

"Yeah, Nathan wasn't relenting so Haley decided to move on," explains Lucas.

"How's Nathan handling it?" asks Deb, the concern evident in her voice.

"As well as can be expected," says Lucas, sighing.

All of a sudden, Nathan comes through the café door, stumbling.

"Where's that bitch, is she here?" asks Nathan, sounding piss drunk.

"Haley?" asks Deb, confused.

"Yeah, where's the little whore?" asks Nathan, falling into one of the tables.

"Are you drunk?" asks Deb.

Lucas comes from behind the counter and helps Nathan sit at one of the tables.

"Yeah, mom, I am," says Nathan, tauntingly. "I went out and got myself piss drunk. Maybe now I'll have the balls to kick that guy Bryce's ass."

"Nate, just relax, for a sec. I'm gonna go get you some coffee," says Lucas.

"Hurry, Luke, I need to find Bryce and cut his balls off," says Nathan, laughing.

Lucas walks to the back where Deb is already waiting for him.

"Deb, what are we gonna do?" whispers Lucas.

"I don't know. But, right now you need to get Nathan home and he needs to rest," says Deb, taking a deep breath. "I have to stay and finish the books because your mom and I are being audited tomorrow and if the books aren't finished, then we're screwed."

"Ok," says Lucas, looking back towards Nathan. "When you get home, do you think you could make him one of your hangover remedies?"

"That's exactly what I intend to do," says Deb.

Lucas and Deb walk to the front of the café.

"Nathan, honey, Lucas is gonna take you home now," says Deb, sweetly.

Suddenly, police sirens can be heard in the distance. A police car pull up outside the café and three male police officers enter the café.

"Is there a Deb Scott here?" asks one of the officers.

"That's me," says Deb, completely confused. "May I help you?"

"You're under arrest for the attempted murder of your husband, Dan Scott," says another one of the officers.

The last officer comes up behind Deb and handcuffs her.

They escort her outside and they beginning informing her of her rights.

"Mom, mom!" cries Nathan, still in his drunken state.

"This is all a misunderstanding!" screams Deb, as she gets into the cop car.

The cop car drives away and the phone rings.

"Nathan, stay put, I need to go answer the phone," says Lucas, running to get the phone.

"Hello?" asks Lucas.

Roe Home

"Hey, Lucas," says Karen.

Café

"Hi, mom, what's up?" asks Lucas, anxiously.

Roe Home

"Andy and I have some news we'd like to share with you. We'll meet you at the café in ten minutes," says Karen, sounding happy.

Café

"Ok, mom, sounds good," says Lucas, gritting his teeth.

Roe Home

"Oh, and can I talk to Deb for a second? I just wanna make sure she's doing all right with the books," requests Karen.

Café

Before Lucas can respond, Brooke and Peyton walk through the door at the same time.

"Lucas, we need to talk," says Brooke. "About us."

"Jake got into a car accident," says Peyton, teary eyed.

And just like that, Lucas' Saturday night would no longer be the fun he originally thought.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! So much going on, what's going to happen next? Major things are about to happen, changing the lives of everyone in Tree Hill forever! Chapter 16, which is part two of this chapter, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	16. Saturday Night Part II

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 16!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: This chapter picks up where chapter 15 left off. If you have not read chapter 15, then you will be completely lost. Major events happen in this chapter, hope you enjoy it!

Roe Home

We pick up two hours after the last chapter ended. It is now about 11:00 and Karen, Andy and Lucas are at the Roe Home. Brooke went with Peyton to the hospital to see Jake and Brooke and Lucas never got the opportunity to talk. Andy and Lucas took Nathan home and Karen and Andy never got the chance to tell Lucas about their engagement.

"Ok, thank you," says Karen, hanging up her cell phone. She sits on the couch, exasperated. Lucas is sitting on the floor, leaning on the coffee table.

"What'd the police say, mom?" asks Lucas, anxiously.

"All they would tell me is that I could see Deb tonight, if I want," says Karen, frustrated. "They wouldn't tell me anything else."

"Nothing about why they arrested Deb for attempting to kill Dan?" asks Andy, walking into the living room with 3 cups of tea.

"No, nothing," says Karen, as she and Lucas each take a cup of tea from Andy.

"I wonder why they would suspect Deb of trying to kill Dan," says Andy.

Lucas puts his cup of tea on the table and looks into it, trying to find the courage to tell his mom that he saved Dan.

"Maybe Dan's trying to get back at her for sleeping with Keith," suggests Andy.

"That's what I thought too. He probably paid someone off to arrest Deb," says Karen, as she notices how quiet Lucas has been.

She clears her throat and both she and Andy look at Lucas.

"Luke, if you bury your nose any deeper in that tea, you're gonna need a snorkel," jokes Andy.

"What's going on, sweetie?" asks Karen, gently.

"I think the police are right. I think Deb did try to kill Dan," says Lucas, not making eye contact with his mom.

"And how would you know that?" asks Karen, anxiously.

"I saw her at the dealership after I pulled Dan out of the fire," says Lucas, quickly.

"After you what?" cries Karen, standing up.

"Mom, please…" starts Lucas, standing up to face his mother.

"Do not mom me. Lucas, what the hell is the matter with you? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You've could've gotten yourself killed," screams Karen, furiously.

"I couldn't let him die, mom," says Lucas, softly.

Karen shakes her head, in disgust. "You should've let the monster burn!"

She slaps him across his face.

"Go to your room!" bellows Karen.

Lucas heads to his room and you can clearly see the hand print mark on his face.

"Karen," says Andy, softly. "You shouldn't have been so hard on Lucas. He only did what he thought was right."

"What are you on Dan's side too?" asks Karen, angrily. "I'm your god damn fiancée."

"Karen, I am not on his side but you were a little too hard on Lucas," says Andy, trying to reason with Karen.

"Get out!" screams Karen.

"What?" asks Andy, not believing his ears.

"I said get out," says Karen, angrily. "And take your ring with you."

Karen throws him the engagement ring he gave her.

Andy looks at her and shakes his head. "Maybe I was wrong about you."

He quietly walks out of the house and Karen leans against the front door.

She falls to the floor, in tears. What has she done?

Lucas walks into his room and slams his door. He knew his mom would be angry but he never expected her to react like that.

He lies on his bed and reaches over to his night table to grab his cell phone. Apparently, he has a voicemail.

Lucas calls his voicemail and it's a message from Brooke. The message goes as follows.

"Hi, Lucas, it's Brooke, it's about 10:30 and I'm at the hospital with Peyton. I know you're dealing with a lot at the moment with Deb being in jail and all, but, I just wanted you to know why I dropped by the café before. I wanted to talk about us. I want there to be an us and only an us. No others, I wanna be exclusive, Luke. Call me back when you get this message. Bye."

Lucas disconnects and puts his phone next to him on the bed.

He begins rubbing his temples. How is he supposed to deal with all of this?

La Pallina Restaurant

La Pallina is an elegant Italian restaurant. There are beautiful paintings on the wall, white drapes, and dim lighting.

We join Bryce and Haley as they are eating dinner.

"Wow, Bryce, this evening has been amazing!" exclaims Haley, smiling happily. "I've never been on such a great date."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," says Bryce, kissing her. "I only wanna make you happy."

"Well, you have. The carriage ride through the park, the beautiful dinner, it's all been wonderful," says Haley, gleeful.

They smile at each other.

Their waiter Anthony approaches them. Anthony is a thirty-year-old man with a strong looking built and he is wearing a waiter's uniform.

"Would you like anything for dessert?" asks Anthony.

"An order of your finest chocolate covered strawberries," Bryce tells Anthony.

Anthony nods and walks away.

"Oh, now aren't chocolate covered strawberries an aphrodisiac?" asks Haley, grinning. "Are you trying to seduce me, Bryce Smith?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," says Bryce.

They share a look and begin kissing.

Anthony walks over to the table and clears his throat.

"Chocolate covered strawberries?" asks Anthony.

Bryce and Haley smile at each other. Is tonight the night?

Police Station

Karen walks into the police station and approaches one of the female officers.

"I'm here to see Deborah Scott," Karen tells her.

"I'm sorry, but, right now, only family is allowed to see her," says the officer.

"I'm her sister-in-law," Karen tells her.

"Ok," says the officer. "Please, follow me this way."

The officer leads Karen into a small room and on the other side of the glass, Deb enters.

They both pick up the phone.

"Karen, I'm glad to see you. I need to tell you that I…" starts Deb.

"Did you try to kill Dan?" asks Karen, bluntly.

Deb bows her head in shame. "Yes, I did."

"Why?" asks Karen.

"Because Nathan and I were gonna get out but Dan found a way to suck us back into his web. I needed to find the strength to set both of us free, I needed to find the strength to kill Dan," says Deb, ashamed. "I'm not proud of it but I can't take it back."

"You selfish son of a bitch!" cries Karen. "What the hell is the matter with you? Lucas almost died pulling Dan out of the fire you set."

"Lucas was there?" asks Deb, confused. "Karen, I had no idea."

"Yeah, well, he was. And he could've died saving Dan's life. How could you be so thoughtless as to try to kill Dan? Are you really that stupid?" asks Karen, angrily.

"Listen, Karen, I know you're upset, but…" starts Deb.

"Get your lawyer to draw up the papers to terminate our partnership," says Karen, sadistically.

"Are you serious?" asks Deb, in shock.

"Dead serious. Now, either you get your lawyer to draw up the papers or I'll get them drawn up myself," says Karen, boiling with rage.

"Ok, Karen, if that's what you want, then I will," says Deb, upset.

"Good. Goodbye," says Karen, hanging up the phone and walking out of the room.

Deb hangs up the phone and sits there, in complete shock. She has never seen Karen like that before!

Apartment

Haley and Bryce walk through the door, making out heavily.

They head into the bedroom and are working on each other's shirts, as their jackets are already off.

Haley feels Bryce's hand going up and down her back and it feels so good, so warm, and so RIGHT!

Haley removes his shirt and feels his abs. They're rock hard and she loves it. His chest is hairless and she can't wait to discover what's under his pants. God, he's hot.

Bryce removes her shirt and feels up and down her abdomen. Her skin is so soft, so gentle and so beautiful to touch. She has just the right curves and with her long, brown hair, she's incredibly sexy.

They fall onto the bed and have a good time, not one, not two, not three, but four times!

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author's Note: Wow, another amazing chapter! A bit short but right to the point! So much going on, what's going to happen next? The next chapter, chapter 17, which is the next part in this little mini-series, will be the next morning where everyone will have to deal with the repercussions of what happened the night before. Chapter 17, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	17. Sunday Morning Part I

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 17!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: This chapter picks up where chapter 16 left off. If you have not read chapter 16, then you will be completely lost. Lives will change in this chapter hope you enjoy it! Be warned that it is quite long!

Apartment

Haley wakes up and smiles when she feels Bryce's arms wrapped around her. She feels so warm, safe, and happy in his arms. Is he really the one for her?

"Hey," says Bryce, as he wakes up.

"Hey yourself," says Haley, as she smiles at him.

"Last was phenomenal," says Bryce, smiling.

"It was," says Haley, as they kiss.

They begin making out when Brooke comes bursting into the bedroom.

"Haley, you are never gonna believe what…happened," says Brooke, as she sees Haley and Bryce in bed together. "Never mind, I'll come back."

Brooke quickly exits the room.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom and get dressed," says Bryce, as he gets up with the sheet wrapped around him..

He grabs his clothes and heads to the bathroom.

Haley watches as he walks out of the room. God, he has such a hot body!

She quickly dresses and walks out of the bedroom, to find a grinning Brooke sitting on the couch.

"What?" asks Haley, sitting next to her.

"You and Bryce had sex," says Brooke, smiling.

Haley silences Brooke as Bryce walks into the living room.

"Well, I'm gonna go," says Bryce, putting his watch on. He feels a bit awkward now that Brooke is home so he just wants to leave as quickly as possible.

"Ok, call me later," says Haley, as she gets up and kisses Bryce.

"Bye Brooke," says Bryce, as he grabs his jacket.

"Bye," says Brooke, smiling.

Bryce leaves and Haley rejoins Brooke on the couch.

"So, tell me everything. I need details. How was it?" asks Brooke, anxiously. She's really happy that Haley's found a great guy.

"Well, I have to say everything was just so perfect. The whole night was just so amazing," says Haley, smiling.

"And how was the sex?" asks Brooke, impatiently.

"Freaking amazing!" cries Haley, giddily. "It was by far the best sex I've ever had. Bryce was so gentle and attentive."

"Oh, Haley, I'm so happy for you," says Brooke, as she hugs her.

"I am too," says Haley, as she looks down.

"What's wrong?" asks Brooke, concerned.

"Nothing," says Haley. "Everything's great."

"Haley James Scott," says Brooke, who immediately realizes what she said. "I mean Haley James, what's the matter?"

"I don't know," says Haley, sadly. "I feel like everything between Bryce and I went so fast."

"What do you mean?" asks Brooke, confused. "He's a great guy and you guys are totally into each other. There's nothing wrong with the fact that you guys had sex."

"I know," says Haley. "But, I feel like everything just went too fast. Nathan and I break up, I start going out with Bryce, and then he and I sleep together. It's just a little too much."

"Are you saying you're sorry you slept with Bryce?" asks Brooke.

"No, I'm not sorry," says Haley, shaking her head. "It was great and I don't regret it one bit but I think I sent him the wrong message."

Brooke looks at Haley, in complete confusion. "What message do you think you sent him?"

"That I'm ready to move our relationship to the next level, when I'm not. I think he now thinks that I'm ready to put our relationship on the fast rack, so to speak. And I'm not even remotely ready for that," explains Haley.

Brooke looks at her, understanding. "Ok, well, then you need to let him know about that and fast."

"I will," says Haley, trying to avoid the subject. "What did you wanna tell me when you came into the bedroom before?"

"Oh, nothing important. Deb was arrested for trying to kill Dan, Jake got into a car accident, and I told Lucas that I want him and I to be exclusive," says Brooke, nonchalantly.

"Wait, what? Woah!" says Haley, feeling information overload. "Start again. Deb was arrested?"

"Yeah," says Brooke. "The cops came and picked her up last night. They accused her of setting the fire at the dealership to kill Dan."

"Did she do it?" asks Haley, surprise evident in her voice.

"No idea. All I know is that she arrested," says Brooke, reiterating the events of the previous night. "I walked into the café just moments after it happened. I was there to tell Lucas that I want him and I to be exclusive and Peyton was there to tell Lucas that Jake got into a car accident."

"Is Jake ok?" asks Haley, concerned.

"Yeah, he's fine," says Brooke. "I stayed at the hospital with him and Peyton last night. He collided with another car and has some bruises, a sprained wrist, and a concussion."

"Well, at least he's ok," says Haley, relieved to hear Jake's ok. "And what happened with you and Lucas?"

"Nothing," says Brooke. "I never heard from him."

"I'm sure he's just going through a lot right now with the whole Deb in jail thing. He really cares for you, Brooke. He won't disappoint you," says Haley, reassuringly. "Can I ask what inspired the turnaround? How'd you go from Miss Non-Exclusive to Miss Exclusive?"

"I don't know. It was just a lot of little things. I look at you with Bryce and Peyton with Jake and I see how happy you guys are together. I wanna be happy like that one day and I know I can't be unless I'm with Lucas and only Lucas," says Brooke, trying to hide her emotions. "I also read over all the letters I had written Lucas over the summer that I told you about and I realized that I can't live without him anymore."

"Well, Brooke, for what it's worth, I'm sure things with you and Lucas will work out," says Haley, smiling.

"Thanks, Haley," says Brooke, as they hug.

"I have to tell you, Haley," says Brooke. "You have really been a great friend to me. I used to see you as nothing more than Tutor Girl but we became such good friends. And not to get all sentimental, but, I really and truly consider you and Peyton to be my two best friends. I love you, Hales."

"Aw, Brooke," says Haley, smiling at her. "I love you too."

They hug.

"Wanna go to the hospital with me and see Jake?" asks Brooke. "I told Peyton I was just gonna come home for a little while. Hospitals are really depressing."

"I do wanna see Jake, but not Peyton," says Haley, cringing.

"You and Peyton still at odds?" asks Brooke.

"She's being such a bitch. I've done nothing to her and she shuts me out and treats me coldly. It's ridiculous already," says Haley, extremely perturbed.

"Well, I know you and Peyton have your issues, but right now she needs us and so does Jake for that matter," says Brooke. "Do you think you could try to be civil to her?"

"I'll try," says Haley, annoyed.

"Ok, we'll go in like an hour. I just need to go and take a shower," says Brooke, heading towards to the bathroom.

"And you need to call Bryce!" calls Broke, from the bathroom.

Haley picks up her cell phone from the coffee table and nervously dials Bryce's number.

Smith Home

Bryce is in his bedroom, sitting at his desk, working on some homework when his cell rings.

"Hello?" asks Bryce, picking up his cell.

Apartment

"Hey, Bryce, it's Haley," says Haley.

Smith Home

"Oh, hey Haley. I was just thinking of calling you. Do you maybe wanna meet up and get some coffee? This Calculus homework is a pain in the ass and I could use a break," says Bryce, smiling.

Apartment

"That's sweet, Bryce, but, we need to talk," says Haley, nervously. How does she tell him this?

Smith Home

"Ok, sure, what's up?" asks Bryce. He hopes that she doesn't regret last night.

Apartment

"About last night," says Haley, hesitantly.

Smith Home

"You regret it, I knew it," says Bryce, a bit upset.

Apartment

"No, that's it. I absolutely don't regret it. It was awesome, really," says Haley, nervously laughing.

Smith Home

"Then, what is it?" asks Bryce, leaning forward in his chair.

Apartment

"I think I sent you the wrong message. I really like you but I am not at all ready to move our relationship to the next level. I still wanna take things slowly, I'm not ready to jump into this relationship full force," says Haley, trying to form each word without stumbling.

Smith Home

"Oh," says Bryce, very disappointed. He thought that last night was a big step for them. "I understand. That's fine."

Apartment

"You're disappointed, I'm sorry," says Haley, apologetically.

Smith Home

"No, it's perfectly fine. I totally understand," says Bryce, trying to sound as unfazed by what she said as possible. "I guess I'll talk to you later then. Bye."

Apartment

"Bye," says Haley, hanging up her cell.

She puts her head in her hands. Boy, that was hard!

Roe Home

Karen wakes up to find herself on the couch. She kicks herself, as she recalls the events of the previous. What happened to her?

Deb. Lucas. Andy. Oh, Andy. He looked so hurt when he left.

She gets up to call him when the doorbell rings.

She opens the front door and is thrilled to find Andy standing there.

"Oh, Andy, I'm so glad it's you. I was just about you to call. I'm so sorry for las…" starts Karen, but Andy cuts her off.

"I'm here to get my stuff," says Andy, coldly walking past her and into the bedroom.

He emerges two minutes later with a box in his hand. He heads towards the front door.

"Andy, wait," says Karen, near tears. "Please. I am so sorry."

"Save it, Karen," says Andy, sadistically. "Last night I saw a side of you that I never knew existed. I can kind of understand how you acted with Lucas; he's your son so it's your call. But, the way you acted with me and throwing my engagement ring back in my face was just too much."

"But, I love you," says Karen, in tears.

"Well, I don't know if I love you anymore," says Andy, as he walks out of the house.

Karen buries her tear-stained face in her hands.

She hears Lucas' door open and looks up to see him walking out the kitchen door.

"Lucas," calls Karen, weakly.

He turns to face her and Karen can see the mark left where she slapped him.

She walks up to him and reaches out to touch his face, but he pushes her hand away.

Karen, still in tears, bows her head, in shame. "I'm so sorry, Lucas."

Lucas just stares at her.

"I'm going to go see how Nathan's doing," says Lucas, as he walks out the kitchen door.

Karen falls to the floor, hysterical crying. What has she done?

Police Station

Keith walks in and approaches a male officer.

"Hi, I'm here to see Deb Scott," Keith tells the officer.

"I'm sorry, but, we're only allowing family to see her at the moment," the officer tells him.

"I'm her brother-in-law," says Keith.

The officer nods. "Please follow me."

Keith follows him and they enter a small room. On the other side of the glass, Deb enters.

They both sit down and pick up the phone.

"Hi, Deb," says Keith, looking directly at her.

"Hi, Keith," says Deb, smiling. "It's good to see you."

"Karen called me last night and told me what happened. Did you really try to kill Dan?" asks Keith, getting right to the point.

Deb bows her head, in shame. "Yes, I did."

"How? Why?" asks Keith, shocked.

"Nathan and I were never gonna get out. The ledger was a fake. I needed to set Nathan and myself free. And the only way to do that was to kill Dan," says Deb, ashamed. "I'm not proud of what I did but I can't take it back."

"Wow, Deb, I can't believe this," says Keith, the shock evident in his voice. "How did Dan even know it was you?"

"I don't know. One of the officers said he'd be in to see me later," says Deb.

"Did they say how long you could get?" asks Keith.

"Couple of years, community service," says Deb.

Keith shakes his head.

"Keith, there's something I need to tell you," says Deb, seriously.

"What is it?" asks Keith, concerned.

"This is really hard to say and I don't wanna rat her out but I think you need to know that I wasn't alone in doing this. Jules was my accomplice," says Deb.

"What!" cries Keith, rising from his seat.

"I'm sorry Keith but Jules helped me," says Deb, sadly.

Keith walks out, completely disgusted.

Deb just sits there. Boy, has she made a mess this time. But, how did Dan even know it was her?

Scott Home

Lucas enters the house.

He walks into the living room to find Nathan sprawled out on the couch.

He walks over to him and tries to wake him up.

"Nate, Nate," says Lucas, slapping him around a little.

"Haley!" cries Nathan, opening his eyes.

"It's ok, Nate, it's me, Lucas," says Lucas, sitting next to him.

"Lucas," says Nathan, sitting up. "Wow, my head hurts."

"Yeah, you were pretty drunk last night," says Lucas. "You're gonna have some hangover and now you don't even have one of your mom's remedies."

"My mom!" cries Nathan, suddenly remembering her being arrested.

"Nate, it's ok," says Lucas. "Your mom was arrested."

"For trying to kill my dad?" asks Nathan. "That's ridiculous."

"Nathan, I need to tell you something," says Lucas, seriously.

"What is it?" asks Nathan, trying to ignore the enormous pain in his head.

"Your mom did try to kill your dad and I know because I saw her when I pulled Dan out of the fire," says Lucas, quickly.

"You saved him?" asks Nathan, a bit upset.

"Yeah, I did," says Lucas, gently. "Listen, I know you're upset but I just couldn't let him die."

"Whatever man, you did what you had to. We're cool," says Nathan, as he nods his head at Lucas. "You've been nothing but a great friend and brother to me these past few months. I couldn't be mad at you especially after how I overreacted last time. I don't wanna get into all that sentimental crap, but, you're a great friend, Luke, and your friendship means a lot to me. You're truly one of my best friends."

Lucas smiles and they knuckle.

"I cannot believe my mom tried to kill my dad," says Nathan, in shock.

"I guess she thought it was the only way to set you guys free," says Lucas.

"Wanna go with me to see her?" asks Nathan.

"Sure. And then after we need to stop by the hospital," says Lucas, helping Nathan up.

"Why?" asks Nathan, confused.

"Oh, that's right, you don't know. Jake got into a car accident, but he's ok. Peyton and Brooke are there. And oh yeah, Brooke wants to date, exclusively," says Lucas, trying to remember everything.

"Luke, that's great, it's about time you and Brooke hooked up," says Nathan, laughing.

"Yeah, but, unfortunately with what happened last night with my mom, I never got to talk to her," says Lucas, who then realizes Nathan doesn't know what happened. "I'll fill you in on our way to the police station."

Lucas and Nathan head out the front door and to the police station.

Café

Karen is there. She decided that it was best if she came in to try and take her mind off of everything. She has left numerous messages for Andy but he hasn't returned any of her calls.

A man in a business suit walks in. He looks to be about 35, 5'9", and 180 pounds.

"Can I help you?" asks Karen, as he approaches the counter.

"Yes, my name is David Wright and I'm from the IRS. I'm here to audit this business, owned by Karen Roe and Deb Scott," says Mr. Wright.

"Oh, that's right, the audit is today," says Karen, having completely forgotten. "I'm Karen Roe."

They shake hands.

"Ok, well, I just need to see the books for the last year of business," says Mr. Wright.

"I have that right here," says Karen, putting out a bag of books. "My partner, Deb, is unavailable at the moment but she finished the books last night."

Mr. Wright takes the bag. "Thank you. May I have a seat at one of the tables?"

"Yes, please," says Karen. "Go right ahead. Can I get you anything? On the house of course."

"A regular coffee, milk, three sugars and a blueberry muffin," says Mr. Wright, taking a seat.

Karen gets the stuff that Mr. Wright ordered.

Little does she know that Deb never finished the books and that now, Karen and Deb are screwed.

Police Station

Lucas and Nathan enter the police station. Lucas told Nathan all about what happened the previous night with his mom and Nathan's hangover is a bit better.

They walk over to a male police officer.

"We're here to see Deb Scott," Lucas tells the officer.

"This is the third time people have come to see her. But, unless you're family, you can't see her," says the officer.

"I'm her son," says Nathan.

"And this is my brother," says Nathan, putting his hand on Lucas' shoulder.

The officer looks at them. "Ok, please follow me."

The officer leads them into a small room and on the other side of the glass, Deb is seated.

They all pick up a phone.

"Hi, Lucas, Nathan," says Deb, smiling. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better Nathan."

"Yeah," says Nathan, looking at Lucas. "Listen, mom, Lucas told me the truth about the fire."

"I'm sorry Deb but I had to tell him," says Lucas.

"It's ok, I understand," says Deb, nodding at Lucas.

"Mom, how could you have tried to kill Dan?" asks Nathan, angrily. "He's not the greatest guy but he doesn't deserve to die."

"Nathan, listen to me. I want you to know that I did this for us. We were gonna get out, remember? Lucas got us the ledger and we finally had the ammunition we needed to permanently get away from your father. Yet, your father pulled his same old crap and managed to pull us back into his web," says Deb, looking directly at Nathan. "I hadn't been out of rehab that long so I wasn't completely strong yet. But, I knew that I needed to be strong. I had to find the courage, Nathan. The courage to set us free, the courage to kill your father. And I found it, with a little help from Jules."

"Jules?" cry Lucas and Nathan simultaneously.

"Yes, Jules. She came to me the day of the fire and told me she was looking to get revenge on Dan for what he did to her. I told her my story and she told me that if I didn't kill Dan, he would keep coming after us. She helped me come up with the plan and then agreed to leave town," explains Deb. "Nathan, you're my son and I love you and I would never want to do anything to hurt you. I was trying to help you, help us."

"I know, mom," says Nathan, trying to be understanding. "I love you too. And a part of me wishes you would've succeeded in killing Dan. I will always be here for you no matter what."

Deb smiles at Nathan and he smiles back.

"Lucas, how's your mom doing?" asks Deb, concerned. "She came to see me last night and was pretty upset. She told me you saved Dan."

"I did, I just couldn't let him die," says Lucas. "And I don't know how she's doing. She completely lost it with me last night and she and Andy got into a huge fight."

"Did the IRS come for the audit yet?" asks Deb.

"You didn't finish the books, did you?" asks Lucas, his eyes widening.

"No, I didn't. I still had to fill in some deductions and finish balancing everything. This is so bad, your mom and I are screwed," says Deb, biting her lip.

Lucas pulls out his cell and quickly tries to call the café but no answer.

Café

"What do you mean we owe you $2,000?" asks Karen, completely confused.

"I went through your books and when you filed your taxes, you said you made $6,000 last year. But, your books show you made $8,000. That's $2,000 that we were short-changed," explains Mr. Wright.

The phone is ringing.

Karen looks over the books, completely confused.

'Deb must've been arrested before she could finish the books,' thinks Karen. 'Shit!'

"Are you gonna get that?" asks Mr. Wright, referring to the phone.

"No, it can't be that important," says Karen, in shock.

"So, Ms. Roe, now you and your partner owe us $2,000 plus an extra $500 penalty. That makes the total $2,500," says Mr. Wright, handing Karen a piece of paper. "That's the address you send the check to and all the information you need. Have a nice day."

Mr. Wright walks out and a stunned Karen is left alone in the café. $2,500? Where is she gonna get that type of money?

Police Station

"No answer," says Lucas, hanging up his cell.

"The audit started over an hour ago. So, it's too late now anyway," says Deb, dejectedly. "Your mom and I will just have to deal with this."

Nathan looks at his watch. "Luke, it's almost noon. You wanna get to this hospital?"

"Yeah," says Lucas. "Let's go."

"Who's in the hospital?" asks Deb, concerned.

"Jake, he got into a car accident. He's fine, but, we wanna go see him," says Lucas.

"I love you mom. If you need anything, I'm here for you," says Nathan.

"I love you too, Nathan," says Deb, smiling at him.

"Bye, Deb," says Lucas.

"Bye, Lucas," says Deb.

The all hang up the phones and Lucas and Nathan walk off.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author's Note: Wow, another fantastic chapter! The longest one so far! So much going on, what's going to happen next? The next chapter, chapter 18, which is the last part in this little mini-series, will be the continuation of Sunday morning where everyone will have to continue to deal with the repercussions of what happened the night before. Chapter 18, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	18. Sunday Morning Part II

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 18!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: This chapter picks up right where chapter 17 left off. If you have not read chapter 17, then you will be completely lost. Another life changing chapter, hope you enjoy it!

Jules' Apartment

Jules hears a ferocious knocking on her apartment door.

"I'm coming, Jesus," cries Jules, opening the door.

When she opens the door, she finds Keith leaning against the doorframe.

"Keith, what are you doing here?" asks Jules, surprised to see him.

"Don't play coy with me," says Keith, angrily. "Deb told me everything. I know you helped her try to kill Dan."

"Yes, Keith, I did. I helped give Deb the strength she needed to set herself and Nathan free and I helped her come up with the plan. But, know, that she did everything herself," says Jules. "And if it just so happens that I would've gotten revenge on Dan in the process, then so be it."

"What the hell is the matter with you, Jules?" asks Keith, annoyed. "I understand wanting revenge but to kill Dan. How stupid could you be?"

"I did what I had to. Dan ruined my life, ruined our lives. He blew our shot at being together and I wasn't just going to let him get away with it. He had to pay," says Jules, trying to defend her decision. "I did it for us."

"Jules, there is no us anymore. After everything, I can't even bare to look at you, let alone be in a relationship with you. Dan used you to get his revenge on me for sleeping with Deb and he got what he wanted," says Keith. "Hear me now, Jules, there is no us. I don't wanna be with you."

"Do you love me?" challenges Jules.

"Do I love you? I…what kind of…I can't believe you would ask me such a question," says Keith, stuttering.

Jules leans in and kisses him. They both feel the passion, even if Keith doesn't want to feel it.

"I…I…I…that was, wow," says Keith, trying to form words.

"I know you still love me, Keith. And I know you felt the passion that I just did when we kissed. You may not wanna admit it anymore because of what happened but you do still love me and wanna be with me," says Jules, sounding very certain.

"Doesn't matter," says Keith, shaking his head. "Even if I did, it doesn't change anything. You betrayed me and I could never imagine being with you again after what you did.

Keith begins to walk off.

"I'm not giving up on us, Keith. I still love you and we will be together again," calls Jules, as she shuts her apartment door.

Keith continues walking down the hall. How could he ever be with her again after what she did?

Hospital

We enter Jake's hospital room, room 205. We see Peyton sitting by his side. Jake is awake but has some cuts and bruises on his face. Peyton and Jake are talking.

"And the cops arrested Deb for trying to kill Dan?" asks Jake, shocked.

"Yup," says Peyton.

Brooke and Haley enter the hospital.

"Hey Jake," says Haley, smiling at him. "I'm glad to see you're ok."

"Hey Haley," says Jake, smiling back at her. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course," says Haley. "How are you feeling?"

Brooke and Haley sit on his hospital bed.

"Good, in a bit of pain and tired," says Jake. "But, I'm just happy to be alive."

"By the way, how'd your date with Bryce go last night, Haley?" asks Jake, suddenly remembering. "I heard Brooke mention it."

"Oh, it was great," says Haley, as she looks over at Brooke. "Thanks for asking."

"I see you're really fighting for Nathan," says Peyton, lowly.

"What was that?" asks Haley, standing up.

"Nothing," says Peyton, looking away.

"You have a problem with me. So, why don't you say it to my face?" challenges Haley.

"I think you're a real bitch," says Peyton, rising from her chair. "You go on your little rock tour for months without even calling and then just come back and expect everything to be the same as it was when you left."

They are now standing toe-to-toe.

"Guys, guys," tries Brooke.

"Stay out of this, Brooke," says Haley, angrily. "This is between me and Ms. Jealous over here."

Brooke quietly sits back down on Jake's hospital bed. She and Jake look at each other, knowing they should just stay out of it.

"I'm jealous?" asks Peyton, chuckling. "About what?"

"Oh, come on, Peyton, we all know that you're just jealous that I got a shot in the musical world and you didn't," says Haley.

"Oh, puh-lease, that couldn't be farther from the truth," says Peyton, trying to hide the truth.

"You're such a liar," says Haley. "I know that's why you and Jake got into a fight a few backs because he said what I just said and Brooke even told me you said he was right."

"Brooke!" cries Peyton, throwing a look at Brooke.

"Sorry, I thought it would help you guys patch things up," says Brooke, innocently.

"Besides, even if it is true, I still don't like what you did, especially to Nathan," says Peyton, shifting the focus.

"That is none of your god damn business," says Haley, enraged. "Nathan is my husband, not yours. I made a mistake when I left him and I know that but if you were truly my friend, then you would be helping and supporting me instead of bitching at me."

"Well, I hate people who just leave town and think they can come back like nothing happened," says Peyton, accusingly.

"I'm not acting like nothing happened, I'm just trying to put the pieces of my life back together," says Haley, furiously. "Maybe your more upset with Ellie than you are with me."

"Who told you about that?" asks Peyton, annoyed.

"I heard it around school," says Haley. "I think you have some abandonment issues you need to work through."

"Yeah and one of those issues is you," says Peyton, sadistically.

"Fine, you know what? You wanna demonize me, that's fine," screams Haley, at her breaking point. "I don't give a shit anymore. As far as I'm concerned, I want nothing to do with you anymore."

"Fine by me," screams Peyton.

They stare at each other when Nathan and Lucas.

"We heard yelling. Is everything ok?" asks Lucas, concerned.

"Yeah, fine," says Haley, glaring at Peyton. "How's Deb?"

"Guilty, apparently," says Lucas.

"What!" cries everyone.

"Are you sure?" asks Brooke.

"Yeah, we're sure," says Nathan. "My mom confessed and Lucas saw her there that night."

"What were you doing there?" Haley asks Lucas.

"I saved Dan," Lucas tells everyone.

"Are you serious?" asks Jake, as everyone stares at him, in shock.

"Yes, ok, I couldn't just let him die," says Lucas, annoyed that everyone keeps making a big deal out of it. "Let's just drop it, ok?"

Everyone just looks at each other.

"Anyone up for some lunch?" asks Peyton. "I'm starving and the cafeteria food isn't that bad."

"Yeah, sure," says Nathan. "Let's go."

Nathan, Lucas, Haley, and Peyton walk out of the room.

"Brooke, you coming?" asks Lucas, walking back in.

"No, I'm just gonna stay here with Jake. I'm not too hungry," Brooke tells him.

"Ok," says Lucas, looking at her. "Oh, and Brooke, I got your voicemail last night. I'm definitely on board for what you said. We'll talk about it later."

Lucas smiles as he walks out of the room.

Brooke jumps up and down on Jake's hospital bed, in joy. She and Jake are finally gonna be exclusive!

"Someone's happy," says Jake, smiling at Brooke. "Care to share?"

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough," says Brooke, smiling at him.

Jake puts his hand on Brooke's leg and they smile awkwardly at each other.

They share a lingering look and before they know what's happening, they kiss.

Jakes grabs Brooke and brings her close to him, not breaking the kiss.

Brooke and Jake suddenly hear shocked gasps.

They break the kiss and turn around to see Lucas, Peyton, Nathan, and Haley in the doorway.

Peyton runs off, in tears and Lucas walks off. Nathan goes after Lucas.

"Uh-oh, what have we done?" asks Jake, looking at Brooke.

"I think we just ruined our relationships with Peyton and Lucas," says Brooke, tears forming in her eyes.

Haley enters the room and comforts Brooke, while Jake puts his head in his hands.

Police Station

We find Karen seated on one side of the glass in a small room, waiting to see Deb.

Deb enters on the other side, surprised to see Karen.

She sits and they both pick up the phones.

"Hi, Karen," says Deb. "I'm surprised to see you."

"Deb, hi. I just wanted to come and apologize for last night," says Karen, the regret evident in her voice. "I wasn't myself and I'm sorry for overreacting."

"It's ok," says Deb, reassuringly. "I completely understand."

Karen smiles. "I don't wanna terminate our partnership and I want you to know that I'm gonna be here for you through all this."

"Thanks, Karen," says Deb. "I appreciate it."

"And Deb, the man from the IRS came today. You never finished the books, did you?" asks Karen, as a matter of fact.

"No, I'm sorry, Karen," says Deb, sadly. "I never got the chance to. Lucas tried to call you but you didn't answer."

"So that's what that call was," says Karen, remembering. "I didn't think it was that important."

Deb nods. "So, what happened?"

"Well, we owe the IRS $2,500," says Karen.

"Ok, Karen, I'll get the money to you as soon as possible," says Deb, guiltily.

"Thanks," says Karen. "I wasn't very understanding last night. I don't like the fact that you tried to kill Dan but I'm here for you from now on."

Deb smiles at her. "Dan's gonna be here in a few minutes to see me."

"Do you know how he knew it was you?" asks Karen.

"No idea, but, I guess I'll find out soon," says Deb.

"Ok, well, good luck with everything. I have to go now because I made a huge mess last night," says Karen. "I'll see you soon."

"Ok, bye," says Deb.

They hang up the phones and Karen walks out.

Hospital

Brooke walks into Jake's room to find Peyton there talking to jake

"And as far as I'm concerned, we're through, Jake," says Peyton, coldly. "I never want anything to do with you again."

She turns around and sees Brooke.

"Oh, look, if it isn't Ms. Skanky Whore Ex-Best Friend herself," says Peyton, angrily. "You've got some nerve, Brooke. What is this payback for the whole thing with Lucas?"

"No, not at all," says Brooke, single teardrops dripping from her face. "I'm so sorry, Peyton."

"Save it, Brooke. This friendship is over," says Peyton, walking towards the door. "He's all yours now."

Brooke begins crying.

"Hey, you ok?" asks Jake, obviously upset.

"No, I'm not," says Brooke, through tears. "I've ruined everything with Peyton and Lucas."

"Have you been able to get in touch with Lucas?" asks Jake.

"No," says Brooke.

She sits down in one of the chairs and breaks down, hysterically crying.

Jakes lays his head back on his bed, single teardrops dripping from his face.

They've royally screwed up this time!

Police Station

Deb is seated at a table in a large room. This is the Interrogation Room and she is waiting to see Dan.

The door opens and Dan enters.

'Ok, Deb, breathe and be strong,' Deb tells herself.

Dan sits down across from her. "Hello Deb."

"Hi, Dan" says Deb, her hand shaking she's so nervous

"Try to kill anyone today?" asks Dan, grinning.

"Nope, only tried to kill you," says Deb, confidently.

"I've got to hand it to you, Deb. You've got some balls to try to kill me. But, at least, I see you learned something from me," says Dan. "Strength."

"Oh, Dan, Dan, Dan," says Deb, shaking her head. "The only thing I could've learned from you is how to be a colossal ass."

"Oh, Deb, still with those witty comebacks," says Dan. "That'll change soon, once you spend some time in jail."

"I've been in jail for the last seventeen years," says Deb. "This'll be a piece of cake."

Deb chuckles and leans back in his chair. "We'll just see about that."

"You're a dick, Dan, but I have to ask how you knew that I was the one who tried to kill you," says Deb, anxious to find out already.

"I didn't," says Dan, smiling evilly. "You ratted yourself out."

"What are you talking about?" asks Deb, completely confused.

"That arrest last night at the café was just a fake. I paid off the police chief to arrest you so I could have my revenge on you for sleeping with Keith," says Dan, putting his hands behind his head. "My attempted murder was just a plausible reason for the arrest."

"Are you saying you didn't know it was really me?" asks Deb, about ready to kick herself.

"Yup," says Dan, getting in her face. "You ratted yourself out."

Deb leans back in her chair, in shock. "Oh My God!"

"That's right, Deb," says Dan, smiling. "You did this to yourself."

"You evil son of a bitch!" cries Deb. "I wish I would've succeeded in killing you."

Dan gets up and opens the door. "You're gonna be wishing that a lot more after I get through with you."

Dan walks out.

Deb sits in her chair, in complete and utter shock. She absolutely cannot believe this!

Author's Note: Wow, another amazing chapter! This four-part mini-series is finally over and lives have been changed forever! So much has happened and still so much to come. This story is just getting started! So, what's going to happen next? Chapter 19, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	19. Damn, This Isn't Gonna Be Easy

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 19!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Wow, so that little four-part mini-series was just so absolutely amazing! I amazed myself with the ideas I came up with and how well it all came out. The lives of everyone in Tree Hill have been changed and this stuff is going to create a lot of drama. All that happened won't just go away in a heartbeat. I promise that everyone will have to deal with it all. I have major plans for this story and I hope you enjoy where I take this story.

Anyway, here's chapter 19. I hope you enjoy it!

Apartment-Monday Morning

We enter the apartment and see dozens of tissues strewn all over the living room. A disheveled Brooke is sitting on the couch, eyes red from crying. She is leaving Lucas yet another voicemail.

"Lucas, it's Brooke. I need you to call me, please. I am so very sorry about everything. I wanna be with you. Please call me," says Brooke, in tears.

She hangs up her cell and puts it on the coffee table.

She slumps down onto the couch. Not only has she lost the guy she loves, but she has also lost one of her best friends.

'Great job, Brooke. Another fine mess you've gotten yourself into,' thinks Brooke to herself.

Haley enters the living room, dressed and ready for school. She is wearing a beige blouse, blue jeans, and a light sweater, also beige.

"Brooke," says Haley, as she sees all the tissues on the floor. "We have to leave for school soon. Why aren't you ready?"

"I'm not going to school," says Brooke, as she lies on the couch and puts her head on one of the pillows.

"Brooke, you can't skip school," says Haley, as she picks up the garbage can and starts throwing some of the tissues away.

"I can't bear seeing Lucas and Peyton," says Brooke, near tears.

Haley puts the garbage can down. "Did you ever get in touch with Lucas?"

"No, and I can't go to school. It's gonna be too hard. My life is ruined," says Brooke, hot tears spewing.

"That's it," says Haley, pulling out the pillow from behind Brooke's head.

"Hey!" cries Brooke, grabbing the pillow back from Haley and wrapping her arms around it. "My pillow."

"Brooke," says Haley, sitting next to her. "You can't keep moping around like this. It's not getting you anywhere."

"I need to drown my sorrows," says Brooke, sadly.

"Brooke," says Haley, gently. "Yes, you screwed up but your life isn't over. You have other things going for you: cheerleading, friends. You need to move on, moping around won't do you any good. Just try and I'll be here for you, always."

Brooke smiles. "Thanks, Haley."

They hug.

"I'm gonna go get ready for school," says Brooke, trying to muster up her courage. "I'll be ready in a half hour."

Haley watches as Brooke walks out of the room. Brooke really messed up this time! Haley spoke to Lucas last night and he was very distraught.

Haley sighs.

"Love sucks," says Haley, aloud.

Roe Home

Lucas is in his room, sitting on his bed, with his eyes closed. He's all dressed and ready for school. He's wearing a black t-shirt and black jeans.

His life is so messed up. First, his mom and then Brooke, what is he going to do?

Oh, Brooke. How could she do that to him? He was beyond thrilled that she finally wanted to be exclusive and then she goes and does this. Brooke broke his heart and he doesn't know how or if he could ever forgive her. Or Jake for that matter.

It was like last year all over again. Only this time he's the one who's been burned and Jake's involved.

And what is he going to do about his mom?

Lucas lays his head back. Jesus, his life is fucked up!

Tree Hill High-An Hour Later

It is a beautiful sunny day. It's about 85 degrees. A truly picturesque day! Brooke and Haley get out of Brooke's car.

"What a beautiful day!" exclaims Haley, smiling.

She looks at Brooke and sees she's not smiling.

"Oh, Brooke," says Haley, putting her arm around her. "Smile."

Brooke fake smiles and then she sees Lucas walking towards school.

"Oh My God, there's Lucas," says Brooke, panicky.

"Go talk to him," encourages Haley. "Be strong."

Brooke walks up behind Lucas and taps him on the shoulder.

Lucas, listening to his IPOD, turns around and just stares at Brooke.

"Hi, Luke," says Brooke, nervously.

Lucas takes his headphones out of his ears. "Hi, Brooke."

"I've been calling and leaving you voicemails," says Brooke, as a matter of fact.

"I know," says Lucas, coldly. "I just wasn't in the talking mood."

"Is this how it's gonna be Luke?" asks Brooke, sadly.

"I don't know," says Lucas, angrily. "Why don't you go ask Jake?"

"Ok, I had that one coming," says Brooke, trying to remain strong. "Luke, please I am so sorry. What happened between Jake and I meant nothing. It was a complete and total mistake."

"You're right, it was a mistake," says Lucas, sadistically. "And my mistake was to think you actually wanted to be with me."

"But, I do, Luke," says Brooke, near tears. "I meant what I said in that voicemail. I wanna be exclusive."

"Oh, yeah?" challenges Lucas. "Kissing Jake was very exclusive."

"Ok, I had that one coming as well," says Brooke, taking a deep breath. "Listen, Luke, please I can't…"

Lucas cuts her off.

"Forget it, Brooke. I don't wanna hear it. I wanted to be with you and I believed you when you said you wanted to be with me," says Lucas, coldly. "I won't make that mistake again."

Lucas walks off and single tears drops start dripping down Brooke's face.

Haley, having heard the whole thing, walks up to Brooke and pulls her into a hug.

"You ok?" asks Haley, as they break the hug.

Brooke takes a deep breath and wipes the tears from her eyes. "I'll be fine."

"You sure?" asks Haley, looking into her eyes.

"Positive," says Brooke. "I need to get to first period anyway."

"Yeah, I do, too," says Haley, smiling at Brooke. "Catch up with you at lunch?"

"Absolutely," says Brooke, trying to be strong.

They both walk off to their respective first period classes.

On her way to her first period class, Haley runs into Lucas.

"Hey, Luke," says Haley.

"Hey, Hales," says Lucas. "What's up?"

"Nothing, on my way to Calculus," says Haley. "What do you have?"

"Government," says Lucas, cringing. "Mr. Dawson is such a jerk."

"Yeah, I know," says Haley. "I have fourth period."

Lucas smiles. "We better go or we'll be late."

Lucas starts walking off when Haley calls out to him.

"Luke!" calls Haley, as she turns around.

"What's the matter?" asks Lucas, concerned. He thinks it might be something about Bryce.

"Brooke," says Haley, but Lucas cuts her off.

"Hales, I love you and you're my best friend, but I don't wanna talk about it," says Lucas. "She kissed Jake and betrayed me. End of story. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to class."

Lucas walks off and Haley just watches him.

She sees Bryce walk up next to her.

"Hey," says Haley, hugging him.

"Hey yourself," says Bryce, as they kiss.

"How've you been?" asks Haley.

"Good, I finally got through with that Calculus homework about six o'clock last night," says Bryce, smiling.

"Yeah, it was hard," says Haley, looking down. "Listen, Bryce, about what we spoke about yesterday…"

"It's fine," says Bryce, as he cuts her off. "I totally understand."

Haley nods.

"So, what else has been going on?" asks Bryce.

"Oh, a lot," says Haley. "I'll fill you in after we go to Calculus and see how miserably we did on the homework."

"Shall we go?" asks Bryce, as he laughs.

He holds out her hand and she takes it.

They walk hand-in-hand to Calculus, their first period class.

Nathan watches from the other side of the hallway. He cannot believe that she's moving on. Can he really live without her? He wonders how she would feel if she saw him with another girl. Hm, maybe he should try to make her jealous.

Nathan walks to class, smiling a self-satisfied smile.

Author's Note: Ok, so, here's chapter 19. I hope you enjoyed it! So much stuff going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 20, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	20. Can I Really Move On?

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 20!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Apartment

Brooke is in the kitchen, on the phone.

"Yes, so, that's a box of chocolates and a teddy bear for Lucas Scott from Brooke Davis," says Brooke, on the phone. "No, not Broke. Brooke, B-R-O-O-K-E."

"Yes, ok," says Brooke, nodding her head. "And they'll arrive today at three?"

"Ok," says Brooke, as Haley walks through the front door. "Thank you."

Brooke hangs up the phone and turns to see Haley.

"Hey roommate," says Brooke, smiling.

"Well, look, who's in a good mood," says Haley, sitting on the couch. "What changed since this morning?"

"I thought about what you said," says Brooke, eating a slice of pizza. "I do have a lot of other great things in my life. I can't allow Lucas to dictate my happiness. I'm not saying I'm giving up nor that I don't wanna be with him. I'm just saying that I'm not going to let my love life affect how I live my life."

"That's great, Brooke," says Haley, smiling.

"Yeah, it is," says Brooke, taking a sip of her soda. "Anyway, how are things with you and Bryce?"

"Great, really great," says Haley, happily. "He was totally all right with what we spoke about yesterday."

"I'm happy for you, Hales," says Brooke, sitting next to her on the couch. "You deserve to be happy."

"Thanks," says Haley, as she rubs the spot on her finger where her wedding ring used to be.

"You miss him, don't you?" asks Brooke, looking directly at Haley.

"Who?" asks Haley, looking at Brooke.

"Nathan," says Brooke.

"Nathan? No, I've moved on," says Haley, still rubbing her finger.

"No, then how come you're rubbing the spot where your wedding ring used to be?" challenges Brooke.

Haley notices and automatically stops. "I guess I do miss him."

"Oh, Haley," says Brooke, sweetly. "It's perfectly normal. He is your husband and he was the first guy you ever loved. That just doesn't go away, as much as we may want it to."

"I know," says Haley, looking down. "You know Nathan and I are getting divorced?"

"Oh, Haley, I'm sorry," says Brooke, grabbing her hands.

"That's what we were talking about that day you heard us arguing in the courtyard," Haley tells Brooke.

"Oh, I didn't know," says Brooke, sadly. "You know it's for the best, right?"

"Yeah, I know. It's my fault, though. I screwed up I left him and caused him pain. I guess this is my punishment for that," says Haley, near tears.

"Oh, Haley," says Brooke, pulling a now crying Haley into a hug. "You never meant to hurt him. Besides, it's been his choice to push you away, not the other way around."

"But, I love him so much," says Haley, through sobs.

"I know, sweetie," says Brooke, not breaking the hug. "But, sometimes, love just isn't enough."

They break the hug.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to move on, Brooke," says Haley, wiping away her tears. "I mean I'm with Bryce now and he's such a great guy and I really do like him. But, I don't think I'll ever feel the same way about another guy as I did about Nathan."

"Haley," says Brooke, grabbing her hands. "I know that it's hard and I know it's unfair but a lot of the time in life we have to deal with things that we don't want to. It's not easy and sometimes it seems like you'll never survive the pain and the sadness, but, you will, Haley. You're a bright, sweet, caring girl and you'll always have me."

"Thanks, Brooke," says Haley, cracking a smile. "Isn't it weird how this morning I was consoling you and now you're consoling me?"

They both chuckle.

"So, who were you talking to when I came home?" asks Haley, changing the subject.

"Oh, the florist," says Brooke. "I'm sending Lucas gifts to try to get him to forgive me."

"Oh, that's a nice idea," says Haley, smiling. "And what about Peyton?"

"I don't know. I also had the florist send her a bouquet of flowers," says Brooke, sadly.

"Can I ask you a question, Brooke?" asks Haley, sitting up.

"Sure," says Brooke.

"Why'd you kiss Jake?" asks Haley, bluntly.

"I don't know, Haley," says Brooke, dejectedly. "It just happened. One minute we were talking and the next we were kissing. It just happened in the moment. Hasn't something ever just happened to you in the moment before?"

"Yes, of course it has," says Haley, understanding. "I guess it's just life. We can fight it all we want but in the end, we wind up having to deal with our problems."

"I guess so," says Haley, checking her watch. "Oh wow, it's one already. I need to get to the café for my shift."

"Ok," says Brooke. "See you later."

"Bye," says Haley, walking out.

Keith's Apartment

There is a knocking at Keith's door.

"Coming," calls Keith.

He opens the door and is surprised to find Lucas standing there.

"Hey Lucas," says Keith, as they hug. "Nice to see you."

"You too," says Lucas, as Keith ushers him inside.

"What can I do for you?" asks Keith. "I haven't spoken to your mom about what happened the other night with you guys yet if that's what you're here about."

"No, I'm not," says Lucas. "Well, I kind of am. I wanna ask you if I can move in with you Keith."

"What?" asks Keith, in shock. "You can't be serious?"

"I am serious, Keith, very serious," says Lucas. "After what happened, I can't bear living with my mom anymore. It's too hard."

"Luke, you're gonna break your mom's heart," says Keith.

"I need this, Keith. Please?" asks Lucas, sincerely.

Keith looks at him. "Your mom's gonna hate me for this."

Lucas smiles. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes, it's a yes," says Keith, as Lucas hugs him.

They break the hug.

"Thank you," says Lucas. "I love you."

"I love you too Luke. You have good timing too. My apartment just finished being renovated, I now have enough room for two people to live here," says Keith.

"Thank you," says Lucas, hugging him again.

"Your welcome," says Keith, patting him on the back. "How are you gonna break this to your mom?"

"I don't know," says Lucas, opening the door. "But, I'll figure it out."

"Good Luck," says Keith.

"Thanks again," says Lucas, as he walks out.

Café

Karen and Haley are behind the counter. Karen is sitting and doing some paperwork while Haley's doing some cleaning.

"So, Haley, how are things with you and Bryce?" asks Karen, not looking up from her work.

"They're going good, thanks," says Haley. "How'd you even know?"

"I heard Lucas talking about it," says Karen, looking up at Haley. "I also heard what happened with you and Nathan."

Haley half-smiles. "Yeah, well it didn't work out. So, I'm moving on."

"Moving on is good," says Karen, smiling.

"And how are things with you and Andy?" asks Haley, playfully. "Is Lucas gonna have a step dad anytime soon?"

Karen immediately stops what she's doing after hearing what Haley said.

"Karen, are you ok?" says Haley, worried. "I'm sorry, was that step dad thing too much?"

"No," says Karen, shaking her head. "Andy and I are having some problems at the moment."

"Oh, that's right," says Haley. "Lucas said he heard you and Andy get into a huge fight the same night the stuff happened with you and him."

"Yeah," says Karen, staring into space. "Let's just say that I alienated the two people I love most in my life."

"Oh, Karen," says Haley, walking up to her. "I know that Lucas loves you very much, he's just upset. And I've seen the way Andy looks at you, with such love. It'll all work out."

Karen smiles at Haley. "I hope so."

All of a sudden, Nathan comes walking through the front door and he is carrying a Manila envelope.

"Hi, Nathan," says Karen. "How's your mom doing?"

Haley just stares at him, unemotional.

"Hi, Karen," says Nathan, cracking a smile. "I just came from seeing her. She's all right."

"Can we talk?" Nathan asks Haley.

"Yeah, sure," says Haley, as they both look at Karen.

"I'll just be, uh, in the back," says Karen, walking away.

Nathan approaches the counter.

"What's up?" asks Haley, trying to keep her cool.

Nathan hands her the Manila envelope.

"What's this?" asks Haley, as she begins to open the envelope.

"The first stage of our divorce papers," says Nathan.

Haley pulls out a bunch of papers.

"Our lawyer drew them up. Like you said, we can't file for divorce until we've been separated for a year but there are a few pre-requisites that we need to get out of the way," says Nathan, trying to hide his emotions.

"This is it, huh?" asks Haley, looking over the papers.

"I guess so," says Nathan, taping his hand on the counter.

"I guess it just wasn't meant to be," says Haley, sadly.

"I guess not," says Nathan, a hit of sadness in his voice. "I know you're busy with Bryce and all, but I need to get these papers to my lawyers ASAP."

Haley looks at him, annoyed. "What the hell is your problem? Why do you have to be so cruel?"

"You're my problem, Haley. I'm sorry you ever came home, I was happier when you were gone," says Nathan, angrily.

"Well, you know what, Nathan? If it makes you feel better, I'm sorry I came home too because I had to come home to all this crap."

"Yeah, all the crap you caused," says Nathan, as a matter of fact.

"Fine, Nathan, you wanna demonize me, that's your business. I followed my dreams when I went on tour and I'm sorry I caused you pain. I always loved you, the tour didn't change that, but now I'm not so sure if I still love you," screams Haley, sadistically.

"Even if you did, it wouldn't matter. You ripped out my heart and hurt me in ways I never knew possible. I loved you with all my heart and I now see that was a mistake," screams Nathan, sadistically. "I won't make that mistake again."

They stare at each other, enraged.

"Just get me the fucking papers whenever you're not too busy screwing your new boyfriend," cries Nathan, walking towards the door.

"Fuck you," cries Haley, throwing a glass at him.

Nathan ducks and the glass hits the wall.

"You missed," says Nathan, walking out.

Haley bangs her hand on the counter in aggravation.

Karen has been in the back and saw the whole thing.

Those two have some serious issues!

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 20. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 21, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	21. Confrontations, Good Advice

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 21!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: I'm glad to see everyone is enjoying this story. I have only begun to tip the dramatic iceberg, there is so much more left to come. I have so many great ideas and I promise I will continue to write with all my heart and all my soul.

Anyway, here's chapter 21. I hope you enjoy it!

Hargrove Home

It is five o'clock in the evening and Karen is standing on the porch, having just rung Andy's bell.

'Oh, please answer,' thinks Karen.

Andy opens the front door and leans against the doorframe when he sees her.

"Hi Karen," says Andy, unemotionally.

"Hi," says Karen. "I've been calling you constantly."

"Yeah, I know but I've been busy packing," says Andy, coldly.

"Where are you going?" asks Karen.

"I'm going to New York to stay with my cousin," says Andy, his face showing no emotion whatsoever. "And I may not come back."

"Andy, please," pleads Karen. "I love you so much and you have to know that I am so very sorry about everything. I overreacted and was completely rude and disgusting. But, I cannot bear the thought of being without you."

"Karen," says Andy, sadly. "I'm sorry but I just don't know if I can be with you anymore."

"Just because of what happened?" asks Karen, upset.

"Just?" asks Andy, his voice rising. "You didn't just say something that can be forgiven so easily, Karen. You were disgusting to me, accused me of being on Dan's side, and made it sound like I didn't even care about you. And to top it all off, you threw my engagement ring back in my face. That's more than just."

"Andy," says Karen, single tears drops dripping from her face. "I don't know what you want me to say. I was completely wrong and I made a monumental mistake. I wish I could take it back but I can't. You have to know that I love you and wanna be with you."

"I do and I felt the same way," says Andy, sadistically. "But, now I'm not so sure."

Karen breaks down in tears. "Will I ever see you again?"

"I don't know," says Andy. "Goodbye Karen."

Andy closes the door and Karen just stands there, tears flowing freely down her face.

How could this be happening?

Roe Home

Lucas is in his room, beginning to pack up some of his stuff.

"Knock, knock," says Haley, walking in.

"Hey Hales," says Lucas, smiling and continuing to pack. "What's up?"

"I spoke to your mom earlier, Luke," says Haley, gently. "She feels so horrible about what happened."

Haley notices that he's packing.

"Woah, what are you doing?" asks Haley, looking around.

Lucas sits on his bed. "I'm moving in with Keith."

"What?" cries Haley. "You can't be serious."

"I am Hales," says Lucas, seriously. "I can't bear living with here with my mom anymore. It's just too hard. With everything that's going on with Brooke and all the other stuff in my life, I can't deal with this."

"Luke," says Haley, sitting next to him. "You are going to break my mom's heart."

"I know, but this is just too much. All the stuff with Brooke and my mom is just too much. I wanna try to distance myself from my problems as much as possible," explains Lucas. "And this is the only way."

Haley takes a deep breath. "I really hope you know what you're doing, Luke."

She notices the teddy bear and the box of chocolates on Lucas' dresser.

"I see you got the stuff from Brooke," observes Haley.

Lucas turns to look at the stuff. "Yeah, I did."

"For what it's worth, Luke, Brooke's torn up about this. She never meant to kiss Jake, she never meant to hurt you," says Haley, trying to make Lucas feel better.

"So, what I should just forgive her?" asks Lucas, a bit annoyed.

"No, I'm not saying that at all," says Haley, reasonably. "I'm just saying that maybe you should just cut her a little slack."

"When you and Nathan were together, if you had him making out with another girl, would you have cut him slack?" challenges Lucas.

Haley nods her head no.

"Didn't think so," says Lucas, as Haley understands his point.

"But, Luke, you should talk to her at least. Try to understand," says Haley.

"There's nothing to understand, Haley. Brooke said she wanted to be exclusive, I believed her, and then I found her kissing Jake," says Lucas, the hurt evident in his voice. "Not very exclusive if you ask me."

Haley just looks at him, understanding. Betrayal isn't easy to get over.

"But, Hales, I want you to know that I appreciate you're always being here for me," says Lucas, smiling at her. "You've always had my back and I cannot tell you what that means to me. I love you Hales and I want you to know that I'm always here for you as well and that I've also always got your back."

"I know, Luke, and I love you too," says Haley, smiling.

They hug.

Haley looks at her watch. "I gotta go meet Bryce for coffee."

"How are things going with you guys, by the way?" asks Lucas, concerned.

"Great," says Haley, standing up. "He's a great guy, I really like him."

"I'm happy for you Hales," says Lucas, smiling. "I hope you find happiness again."

"Thanks," says Haley, smiling. "Well, if I don't leave now, I'm gonna be late, so I'll see you later. Bye."

"Bye," says Lucas, as Haley leaves.

Sawyer Home

Peyton is in her room, at her computer, ridding it of all things related to Brooke and Jake.

"Knock, knock," says Brooke, standing by the door.

Peyton turns around. "Can I help you with something?"

"Can we talk Peyton?" asks Brooke, pleadingly.

"There's nothing to talk about Brooke. I made everything perfectly clear at the hospital," says Peyton, coldly.

"Did you get the box of chocolates I sent you?" asks Brooke, leaning against the doorframe.

"Yeah, I did," says Peyton, sadistically. "And I flushed them down the toilet. The same way you flushed our friendship down the toilet."

"Peyton," says Brooke, entering Peyton's bedroom.

"No," says Peyton, getting up. "Get out of my room. Lying, backstabbing skanky whore ex-best friends cannot enter my room."

Brooke steps back into the hall. "Peyton, please, I am so sorry. I made a mistake, a tremendous mistake. I regret it completely."

"That's great, Brooke," says Peyton, angrily. "You can take your apology and your regret and shove it up your ass."

"I didn't expect you to be forgiving about this but to see you like this," says Brooke, near tears. "I don't know what to say."

"I do," says Peyton, picking up a box of stuff and handing it to Brooke. "Get out."

Brooke looks at the stuff in the box. "This is all the stuff I've ever left here and ever lent you."

"That's right," says Peyton, sadistically. "Now, kindly get the hell out of my house."

Brooke walks off, tears flowing.

Police Station

Nathan enters the Interrogation Room to find his mom already seated, He is finally allowed to see his mom, in person.

"Mom!" cries Nathan, as she gets up and they hug.

"Oh, Nathan," says Deb, tightening the hug. "I'm so glad to see you."

They break the hug and sit.

"How are you holding up?" asks Nathan, concerned. He loves him mom to death.

"I'm doing ok," says Deb, shrugging her shoulders. "Prison isn't exactly the Plaza Hotel."

"So, mom, how did dad know it was you?" asks Nathan, curiously.

"He didn't Nathan, it was a set up," says Deb.

"What do you mean?" asks Nathan, confused.

"I was only arrested because your dad paid off the police chief to get revenge on me for sleeping with Keith," says Deb. "His attempted murder was only a plausible reason for the arrest."

"You mean you ratted yourself out?" asks Nathan, trying to understand.

"Yes," says Deb, sadly.

"Oh My God, mom," says Nathan, grabbing her hands. "I'm so sorry."

"It's all right, I'll deal," says Deb, smiling weakly. "How are things with you and Haley?"

"There isn't a Haley and I anymore, mom," says Nathan. "We're over. I gave her the first stage of the divorce papers today."

"Is that what you want?" asks Deb, concerned. "Do you love her?"

"Of course I love her mom, but…I just can't get past what she did. It's not like she just left for a week or two, she left for months without even so much as a phone call. And then I tried to go see her and it blew up in my face. She chose music over me twice," says Nathan, the hurt evident in her voice. "I just can't get over that."

"I'm sorry, honey," says Deb, squeezing his hands. "I know it's hard but if you feel you and her should be together, then you have to tell her. I'm not defending what she did but I know Haley. She would never intentionally cause you pain. She was just following her dreams, you can't penalize her for that. Did you and her ever seriously sit down and talk about?"

"No," says Nathan, quickly.

"Maybe you should," says Deb, trying to help her son. "I'm not saying it'll change your mind about being with her or that it should but maybe it would help make you feel a little better."

"I don't think that's gonna happen. We had a huge blowout at the café earlier," says Nathan, sadly.

"Try," says Deb. "Don't run from your marriage like I did. Try to make it work."

"But, she's with Bryce," says Nathan, as a matter of fact.

"If she loves you as much as I think, she'll at least be open to talking," says Deb, reassuringly.

"Thanks, mom," says Nathan, smiling. "I love you."

"I love you too Nathan," says Deb, as they get up and hug.

"I'm gonna go and see Haley and try to talk to her," says Nathan.

Deb smiles and Nathan walks towards the door.

"Good Luck!" says Deb, sincerely. "Oh, and, Nathan?"

"Yeah?" asks Nathan, turning around.

"Can you tell Karen to stop by next time she gets a chance?" asks Deb. "I need to talk to her about something."

"Sure, mom," says Nathan. "Bye."

Nathan walks out.

Deb sits down at the table. She really hopes Nathan and Haley can work things out. She never saw Nathan happier than when he was with Haley and she wants him to have that again.

Apartment

There is a knock at the door.

"Coming," calls Haley.

She opens the door and is surprised to find Nathan standing here.

"Nathan," says Haley, the surprise evident in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?" asks Nathan.

"I think we said everything earlier," says Haley, beginning to close the door.

Nathan pushes the door open with his hand. "Please, Haley, it's important."

Haley looks at him and sighs. "Come on in."

Nathan enters the apartment and Haley closes the door.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 21. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 22, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	22. Marital Heart To Heart, New Complication

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 22!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: This chapter has a big Naley scene in it. Naley fans are going to be happy because they are finally going to have that heart-to-heart they should've had a long time ago. Yet, I want to make it clear that this won't change things between them.

Apartment

Nathan and Haley enter the living room. Nathan sits on the chair and Haley sits on the couch.

"So, Nathan, what'd you wanna talk about?" asks Haley, anxious to get this over with.

"Us," says Nathan, bluntly.

"There is no more us anymore, Nathan," says Haley, leaning forward. "You made that painstakingly clear numerous times. And I don't want there to be an us anymore."

"Do you still love me?" challenges Nathan.

"What…what kind of…do I still…how could you even ask me that question?" asks Haley, nervously. "Do you honestly think I could after all that's happened?"

"Yes, I do. And I think that because I still love you," says Nathan, gently.

"Well, let me tell you, Nathan," says Haley, a bit annoyed. "You have a funny way of showing it. Pushing me away, insulting me, those are some ways to show me you love me."

"I know, Haley," says Nathan, guiltily. "I'm sorry for how I've acted but I've just been so hurt and I just don't know how else to be."

"I know you're hurt Nathan," says Haley, sitting back. "I knew things wouldn't be easy when I came back."

"Why did you come back?" asks Nathan.

"I came back Nathan because you're my husband and I love you. I wanted to try to make things work," says Haley. "But, it's all just blown up in my face. You've been so horrible to me."

"What'd you expect me to be?" asks Nathan, his voice rising. "Were you so naïve to believe that you'd come back and I'd welcome you back with open arms and an open heart?"

"No, Nathan, I wasn't naïve," says Haley, a bit offended. "I knew it would be hard. I knew I hurt you but I wanted to give us another chance."

"Haley," says Nathan, trying to hold back his own tears. "The night you left for the tour, you broke my heart. Never in my life had I felt the type of pain, anger, and sadness I did at that moment. I felt so many things that I didn't even know what to do with myself. I gave you an ultimatum and you chose music over me. You obviously didn't love me as much as you claimed."

"Nathan," says Haley, calmly. "I always loved you. The tour never changed that. I always knew that you were the best part of my life. I know it was selfish of me, very selfish of me in fact, but I just had to. This was my dream and if I didn't follow it, I would've regretted it for the rest of my life."

"I got that, Haley. It took some time but I was finally able to understand, at least somewhat, why you made the decision you did. So, what did I do? I chased you. I drove for hours to come and find you to try to make things work. I wanted to give it a chance. Give us another chance. I was willing to do anything and what happened? You chose music over me again. That was two times, Haley," says Nathan, the hurt evident in his voice.

"Hey," says Haley, defensively. "You just walked off. I asked you to wait for me. That was your choice, not mine."

"It might've been my choice to walk out but you drove me to it," says Nathan, frustrated. "You chose music over me twice. Not once, but twice. That's two times where I was pushed to the back while you followed your real dream. I was willing to do whatever it took to make us work."

Haley tries to reach out and grab his hand but he pulls away.

"What?" asks Haley, upset. "I can't even touch you anymore. Do you hate me that much?"

"You think that's why I push you away, Haley?" asks Nathan, in surprise. "You think I pushed you away that night in my room before High Flyers because I hate you?"

Haley nods her head.

"I don't push you away because I hate you, Haley," says Nathan, emotionally. "I wanted nothing more than to be with you that night. I push you away because I love you. I love you so much and missed you so that I intentionally crashed that race car."

"Are you serious?" asks Haley, mortified as to what Nathan has just revealed to her.

"Yes, Haley," says Nathan. "I was so hurt about your leaving that I would've rather died than be without you."

Single tears drops begin falling down Haley's face. "I wanted to come home."

"I know you did, Haley," says Nathan, trying to hide his feelings. "But, I didn't want you to come home. And you know why? Because I knew that I wouldn't be able to handle being around you anymore considering I almost killed myself over your leaving."

At this point, Haley is on the couch, in tears.

"Nathan," says Haley, through tears. "I had no idea that you ever felt this way. I never knew my leaving would cause you so much pain that you would want to kill yourself. I never ever wanted that. Nathan, I love you so much and I can't imagine living the rest of my life without you."

"I love you too, Haley," says Nathan, tears beginning to fall from his face. "But, I don't trust you anymore. I never knew it was possible to hate someone you love so."

By now, Haley is lying on the couch, hysterical crying.

"Haley," says Nathan, gently. "I'm sorry if my words hurt you but I just don't know how I can ever forgive you."

Haley sits up and tries to regain her composure.

"Nathan," says Haley, hot tears threatening to spew. "I want you to know that not a day when by when I was on tour that I didn't think about you. Every day, I found strength in our love. I knew I caused you pain but I always loved you. The tour didn't changed that, nothing could've ever changed that. Nathan, you mean the world to me and I know that you're my soul mate."

Nathan wipes away his own tears. "I'm sorry, Haley. But, this is it."

Nathan quickly gets up and walks out of the apartment.

Haley collapses on the couch, tears flowing freely.

Hargrove Home

Lucas is standing on the porch, having just rung the bell.

Andy opens the door and is surprised to find Lucas standing there.

"Hey Lucas," says Andy, half smiling.

"Hey Andy," says Lucas.

Andy vaguelysees Karen's hand print mark on his face. "How are you doing after the other night?"

"I'm all right," says Lucas. "But, I'm not here about me. I'm here about my mom."

"Lucas…" starts Andy.

"Andy," says Lucas. "I'm not my mom's biggest fan right now. So much so that I'm actually moving in with my Uncle Keith, but my mom is miserable. She really loves you man and I have never seen her sotorn upbefore."

"Thank you for your concern, Lucas," says Andy, genuinely. "But, I'm leaving for New York in the morning and I might not be coming back."

"Andy, you're gonna break her heart," says Lucas, genuinely concerned.

"So are you when you move in with your uncle," says Andy.

Lucas just stares at him, knowing he's right.

"Listen, Lucas," says Andy, a bit upset. "I love your mom with all my heart but right now, after what happened, I don't know if I can handle being with her."

"I understand," says Lucas, nodding his head. "Are you ever coming back?"

"I don't know," says Andy, sounding unsure. "I'm gonna see how things go."

Lucas extends his hand. "Take care of yourself Andy."

"Thank you," says Andy, shaking his hand. "You too."

Andy closes the door and Lucas walks off.

Police Station

Karen enters the Interrogation Room, eyes red from crying.

"Karen," says Deb, getting up and hugging her.

"Hi Deb," says Karen, smiling. "It's good to see you."

"You too," says Deb, as they sit.

"Nathan told me you wanted to see me," says Karen, getting to the point.

"Yeah," says Deb, nervously. "Karen, Dan's frozen my bank account."

"What, how?" asks Karen, confused.

"I don't know but it seems that his lawyer came up with some type of proof that I was using the money in the account to fund the fire and he got the account frozen. My lawyer's working on unfreezing it but it might take a while," says Deb, sadly. "That means I won't be able to get you the $2,500 for the IRS."

"Oh no," says Karen, worriedly. "This is bad. The money's due in two days."

"I know, Karen," says Deb, grabbing her hands. "And I'm so sorry."

Karen takes a deep breath. "I guess I'll have to dip into my savings. But, this is gonna tap me out."

"Karen, I promise that as soon as I can, I will get you the money," says Deb, reassuringly.

"I know you will," says Karen, half smiling.

"Karen, is everything ok?" asks Deb, concerned. "I noticed your eyes are red. Have you been crying?"

"Yeah," says Karen, calmly. "Remember when I told you about what happened with Andy?"

Deb nods her head.

"Well, I went to see him tonight and he's going to New York," says Karen, tears forming. "And he might not be back."

"Oh, Karen," says Deb, squeezing her hands. "I am so sorry."

"Thanks," says Karen, wiping her tears away. "It's just a lot to deal with."

Deb nods, understanding.

"Well, I'm gonna go the café and try to make some extra money," says Karen, getting up. "I'm gonna need it."

Deb gets up and nods. "Once again, Karen, I am so sorry about everything and I will get you the money as soon as I can."

Karen smiles and they hug.

"Bye," says Karen, walking towards the door.

"Bye," says Deb, as Karen walks out.

Deb sits down. Boy, life has really taken a turn for the worse!

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 22. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 23, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	23. Problems All Around

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 23!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Hey, well, I am glad to see that everyone is enjoying this story! At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 4, 386 Hits. Wow, that is a phenomenal number of Hits! That is more than I ever expected to have and I must express my gratitude to each and every one of you for reading and sticking with me. I don't know what I did to deserve such great readers but I am forever grateful! This story still has many chapters to it, there's still much more to come! I hope you all continue reading, reviewing, and enjoying my writing!

Anyway, enough of my jibber jabber, here's chapter 23. I hope you enjoy it!

Apartment

This chapter picks up approximately two days after the last chapter ended. It is around 7:30 Wednesday morning and Brooke and Haley, both dressed for school, are sitting in the kitchen, talking.

"And I haven't even been able to get him to return any of my calls," says Haley. She's just finished telling Brooke what happened with her and Nathan.

"Oh, Haley," says Brooke, putting her hand on top of hers. "I am so sorry for everything you're going through. But, look on the bright side, at least you and Nathan finally got your cards out on the table."

"Yeah," says Haley, chuckling. "And look where that got us. He wouldn't even look my way at school yesterday and hasn't returned any of my calls."

"Did you try to go and see him?" asks Brooke.

"I didn't have the time. Mr. Dawson gave this stupid Government project last night and Mr. Smith assigned like fifty pages of reading along with about thirty questions last night for homework. I barely had time to eat and shower let alone catch up on the work I missed when I was gone last year," explains Haley.

"Well, maybe you guys will talk today," says Brooke, trying to be positive. "Each day brings new possibilities."

Haley looks at her. "I'm surprised your so chipper, Brooke. With all that's going on with Lucas and what happened with Peyton the other night, you seem to be taking it well."

"And that's a bad thing?" asks Brooke, confused.

"No, it's a great thing," says Haley, looking into her coffee cup. "I wish I could do that."

Brooke smiles at her. "I decided to stop moping around and feeling sorry for myself. Doing those things won't make my problems go away. It only makes me feel worse and the last thing I need right now is to feel worse. Things will work out, I just need to have hope."

"Well, I'm glad to see you have a good handle on the situation, Brooke," says Haley, looking at her watch. "But, what we don't have a a good handle on is time. If we don't leave like right now, we're gonna be late."

"Let's go," says Brooke, as they began to clean up.

They quickly walk out the door and head to school.

Tree Hill High-Courtyard

Peyton is walking towards the school when Jake comes running behind her.

"Peyton, wait up," calls Jake, running after her.

She continues walking but he gets in front of her.

"Get out of my way," says Peyton, coldly.

"Peyton, please, let's talk," says Jake, pleadingly.

"Ok," says Peyton, angrily. "Do you wanna talk about how you betrayed me by kissing my best friend or about how I gave you my heart and you broke it into a million pieces?"

"Peyton," says Jake, gently. "I am so sorry. I've apologized like a million times. What else do you want me to say?"

"Nothing," says Peyton, sadistically. "There is nothing you can say, you asshole. Tell Brooke I say hi."

Peyton walks off and Jake just watches her.

Jake feels a hand on his shoulder and he turns around to see Nathan.

"How you doing man?" asks Nathan, concerned.

"Not good," says Jake, upset. "Peyton won't even talk to me. Neither will Lucas for that matter."

Nathan pats him on the back. "It sucks man. I'm sorry."

"Thanks, Nate," says Jake, as they knuckle. "I guess I should get to class anyway."

"Yeah, me too," says Nathan. "I'll catch you with you later man."

"Later," says Jake, as he walks off.

Nathan feels his cell phone vibrating in his pocket.

He pulls it out and it's a text message from Haley.

The message reads, "Nathan, please, meet me in the courtyard at lunch. We need to talk. Please be there."

Nathan shakes his head and puts his cell back in his pocket.

How can he even wanna see her after the other night?

Nathan sighs, as he walks off to his first period class.

Café

Karen is behind the counter, making coffee, and there are some customers in the place.

A very official looking man walks through the front door. He is about 5'9", brown hair, black eyes, nice built, and he's wearing a black suit.

"Can I help you?" asks Karen, as the man approaches the counter.

"My name is David Wright, I am the newly appointed District Attorney," says David, introducing himself. "I'm looking for a Karen Roe."

"That's me," says Karen, extending her hand and he shakes it. "How may I help you?"

"We have reason to believe that your business partner, Deborah Scott, used money from this business to fund her attempted murder of Dan Scott," explains David. "Therefore, I am shutting down this business while we investigate further."

"No, you cannot close down my café!" cries Karen. "I need this income."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," says David, showing her his warrant. "I have a warrant."

"I need everyone to please leave," announces David to all the customers.

All of the customers get up and leave.

"I'm calling my lawyer," says Karen, as she gets up and heads to the back. She cannot lose the café she would be totally screwed!

Karen picks up the phone and dials Andy's number.

'Please pick up,' thinks Karen.

The phone keeps ringing and the machine picks up.

Hargrove Home

We see Andy walking out the front door as he hears the machine pick up. He drops his bags and runs into the living room.

On the machine he hears the following, "Andy, hi, it's Karen. I need your help, please pick up. They've shut down my business because they think it has some connection to Deb's attempted murder of Dan. Andy, I'm gonna lose everything. Please, I need your help. Are you there? Please…"

Andy grabs the phone. "Karen?"

Café

"Oh, Andy, thank god. I need your help," says Karen. "They've closed…"

Hargrove Home

"I heard your message," says Andy, cutting her off. "I'm on my way over."

Café"

"Thank you," says Karen, grateful.

Hargrove Home

"Your welcome," says Andy. "I'll be over as soon as possible. Bye."

Café

"Bye," says Karen, as she hears the line go dead.

She hangs up the phone, thankful Andy's on his way.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 23. A bit short but right to the point! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 24, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	24. Angry Confrontation

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 24!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Keeping this short, I am glad everyone is enjoying the story and please keep reading and reviewing!

Tree Hill High-Courtyard

It is lunch and Nathan is sitting on one of the benches, waiting for Haley.

Haley comes out the back door and sees Nathan waiting for her.

'Breathe, Haley, breathe' she tells herself.

"Nathan," calls Haley, as she approaches him.

"Hi," says Nathan, as he stands up and faces her. "So, what'd you wanna talk about?"

"The other night," says Haley, as a matter of fact.

"What about it?" asks Nathan, nonchalantly.

"Maybe you should talk about how badly you upset my girlfriend," says Bryce, alerting Haley and Nathan to his presence.

He walks up to Haley and puts his arms around her.

"Stay outta this," says Nathan, annoyed.

"What's the matter, big shot basketball star?" taunts Bryce, getting in Nathan's face. "Hate to admit when you act like a dick?"

"Back the fuck up," says Nathan, threateningly.

"You're too much of a coward to do anything," says Bryce, mocking him. "You didn't even have the balls to confront your wife about how you really felt until months after she comes back."

Nathan punches Bryce and Bryce grabs his jaw.

"Nathan!" calls Haley.

Bryce tackles Nathan to the ground.

"Nathan, Bryce, cut it out," calls Haley, but to no avail.

Nathan and Bryce are rolling around on the ground, wrestling.

Haley has her cell phone out.

"Luke, I need you to get out into the courtyard with like Jake or someone," says Haley, frantically. "Hurry!"

Haley hangs up her cell and no sooner do Lucas and Jake come running into the courtyard.

Haley quickly points to Nathan and Bryce and Lucas and Jake go to break it up.

They pull them apart. Lucas restrains Nathan and Jake restrains Bryce.

"Let me go!" yells Bryce, squirming.

He breaks free and grabs his backpack from off the floor.

"Bryce," says Haley, as she angrily approaches him. "What the hell is the matter with you?"

"I'm the bad guy here?" asks Bryce, pissed off. "I fight in your honor, to defend you, and you get mad at me? That is so fucked up."

"I never asked you to go fighting in my honor," says Haley, still angry. "I was the one who asked Nathan here to talk. Who the hell asked you to come and start trouble?"

"This is a fucking joke," says Bryce, as he looks around. Lucas, Jake, and Nathan are standing next to each other. "I step in to defend my girlfriend and I come off as the bad guy."

"Bryce, maybe you should just go," says Haley, looking around at Lucas, Nathan, and Jake.

"Whatever," says Bryce, walking off, annoyed.

Haley looks at Nathan and just shakes her head at him. She walks off and Lucas and Jake follow.

Nathan watches as Haley walks away. What is he going to do now?

Café

"Ok, thank you," says Andy, as he walks from the back of the café to the front. Karen is seated at one of the tables.

"What happened?" asks Karen, anxiously. If she loses the café, then she is completely screwed.

"I spoke to my lawyer and he was able to get an injunction to stop the closing of the café for the duration of the inspection," explains Andy. "Mr. Wright is also being taken off the case and they're assigning the ADA to do the inspection, while my lawyer watches over him. But, the inspection will not interfere with the operation of the café."

"Oh, Andy," says Karen, smiling widely. "Thank you so much."

She pulls him into a hug and Andy, reluctant at first, hugs her back. "Your welcome."

They break the hug and Andy looks at his watch. "I have to go. I already called and had my luggage taken to the airport. But, if I don't leave now, I'm gonna miss my flight."

"You're still going to New York?" asks Karen, sadly.

"Yes, Karen, I am," says Andy, blankly. "Nothing's changed, Karen. I only came to help you save your business, not to get us to reconcile."

"Andy," says Karen, reaching out to grab his hands. "I love you and I wanna be with you and I am so sorry about everything happened. Can we please give this another shot?"

"I can't, Karen," says Andy, letting go of her hands. "I'm sorry."

Single tears drops begin falling from Karen's face and Andy heads towards the door.

"Are you ever gonna come back?" asks Karen, tears flowing.

"I don't know," says Andy, shedding a tear of his own. "Goodbye Karen."

"Goodbye Andy," says Karen, as Andy walks out.

Hot tears spew and Karen collapses on the floor, in tears.

Tree Hill High-Courtyard-An Hour Later

Lucas and Haley are sitting and talking.

"Have you spoken to Bryce since before?" asks Lucas.

"No, and I don't really intend to," says Haley, the annoyance evident in her voice. "He knows how I feel about fighting and he knows how delicate the situation between Nathan and I is. How could he do that?"

"He was just trying to stick up for you," says Lucas. "Maybe you can give him some credit for that."

"It's just all so complicated," says Haley, shaking her head. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"Haley," says Lucas, gently. "Maybe you need to take some time and reassess how you feel about both Bryce and Nathan."

"What are you saying, Luke?" asks Haley, looking right at him.

"What I'm saying is that it's obvious you care a lot about Bryce but it's also obvious you love Nathan," says Lucas. "Maybe you should reconsider who you wanna be with."

"Luke," says Haley, surprised as to what Lucas said. "I appreciate the concern, but, this isn't a television show and this sure isn't one of the those television type love triangles. Nathan and I are over and I'm with Bryce now. End of story, case closed."

"Ok, whatever you say Hales, this is your life, not mine," says Lucas, shrugging his shoulders. He can't tell Haley what to do nor can he make her do anything.

Haley feels her cell phone vibrating and pulls it out of her pocket.

"It's your mom," Haley tells Lucas.

"Hello? Karen, what's wrong?" asks, Haley, answering the phone. She sounds very concerned. "Ok, I'm on my way."

Haley hangs up her cell and Lucas looks at her.

"Is everything ok?" asks Lucas, worried.

"Your mom's very upset," says Haley. "I gotta go."

"Ok," says Lucas, as she gets up. "Tell me what happens."

"Will do," says Haley, as she walks off.

Lucas sits there, hoping his mom is ok.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 24. A bit short but right to the point! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 25, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	25. The Beginnings of War, Ultimatum

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 25!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 5,576 Hits! That is an extraordinary number of Hits and more than I could have ever dreamed of! This story has a huge following and that fact thrills and excites me to no end. When I originally started this story, I posted it just to see what type of response I would get and boy was I surprised. I never thought I was a good writer but through all the encouragement and support I've received with this story and others stories I've posted on this site, I now believe that I am a better writer than I have ever given myself credit for. I've always felt that part of being a good writer is coming up with creative ideas, being able to incorporate them into the story properly, and having fun with writing and I think I possess all of those qualities and more.

Anyway, that is more than enough of my jibber-jabber. On with chapter 25, hope you enjoy it!

Café

It is about twenty minutes since the last chapter ended, making it around 2:00 Wednesday afternoon.

Haley slowly enters the café.

"Karen?" calls Haley, shutting the door behind her. "Karen, where are you?"

She hears the sounds of crying and approaches the counter.

The sound gets louder and Haley walks behind the counter.

Lying against the counter, a very disheveled Karen is crying her eyes out.

"Karen, what's wrong?" asks Haley, as she bends down to Karen's eye level.

"Andy," says Karen, through tears. "He left to New York and he might never come back."

Hot tears spew and Haley looks at Karen, her heart breaking for her.

"Oh, Karen," says Haley, trying to find the right words. "I am so sorry."

Haley pulls her into a hug, letting Karen cry on her shoulder.

Haley understands what it's like to lose the love of your life and she knows the type of pain Karen is feeling.

Single teardrops begin dripping down Haley's face, as she thinks about Nathan.

Tree Hill High-Courtyard

Lucas is walking and listening to his IPOD. Brooke is sitting on one of the benches, talking to one of the other cheerleaders. Yet, Brooke is looking at Lucas out of the corner of her eye.

"Lucas," calls Peyton, running up to Lucas and tapping him on the shoulder.

Lucas turns around and sees Peyton. He takes his headphones out of his ears. "Hey, Peyton. What's up?"

Peyton quickly pulls Lucas towards her and she kisses him.

Lucas, not giving into the kiss, pushes her away.

"Peyton, what the hell are you doing?" asks Lucas, angrily. "What is the matter with you?"

Brooke turns to look and sees what Peyton is doing. She watches intently, as her friend walks away.

"Just going after the one guy who's always been there for me," says Peyton, as she rubs her hands all over Lucas' chest. "You're so hot and sexy, you stud."

Lucas grabs her hands and pushes them away. "Peyton cut this out. I know you don't really want me. You're just doing this to make Brooke and Jake jealous."

"Maybe, I am," says Peyton, stroking his face. "Maybe I'm not."

At this point, Brooke is boiling with rage but trying to contain herself.

Lucas pushes her hand away again. "Peyton, I'm not joking, cut it out. I'm not gonna be used in your little jealousy plot. Besides, my heart belongs to Brooke, no matter what she's done. I still love her, even if she and I will never be together again."

Brooke smiles at Lucas's words, he still loves her. There's still hope then, she just has to keep trying.

"Oh, just give into it, Lucas," says Peyton, as she puts her hands on Lucas' chest and begins descending downwards.

Brooke has had enough of this spectacle and charges towards Peyton.

"Get your slutty hands off of the man I love!" cries Brooke, as Lucas backs away.

"Oh, please, you're such a hypocrite," says Peyton, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, Ms. PMS, if you ever lay a hand on Lucas again, you will be sorry," threatens Brooke, seriously.

"What are you gonna do, Brooke?" taunts Peyton. "I'm not a cookie or a donut, you don't scare me."

Brooke slaps her. "Full on diva skanks don't scare me, you whore."

Peyton holds her cheek. "I know and that's because you practice Bitchcraft."

Brooke gets right up in Peyton's face. "You want a war, well you've got one, Ms. PMS. If you think that you're just gonna get away with hitting on the man that I love then you are sadly mistaken."

"Oh, Brooke, I'll do whatever I want with Lucas and you won't stop me," says Peyton, tauntingly.

"We'll see about that," says Brooke, sneering. "You will pay for this, PMS. Mark my words. This war has only just begun."

"Bring it on, bitch," says Peyton, sadistically.

Brooke begins to walk off. "Don't be late for your Gay-Lesbian meeting. I'm sure your girlfriend Anna will be thrilled to see you."

Peyton just stands there, unable to think of a comeback.

Brooke confidently walks off and Lucas walks next to her.

"That was nice, Brooke," says Lucas, smiling. "I've never seen anyone stand up for me like that before."

They stop walking.

"I love you Lucas. I know I hurt you and I know that's not easily forgiven, but we will have a second chance. This will work between us and no skanky whores are gonna stand in our way," says Brooke, obviously enraged.

She walks off before he even has a chance to respond.

"Hey Lucas," calls Bryce, as he walks up to him.

"Hey Bryce," says Lucas, cracking a smile.

"Do you know where Haley is?" asks Bryce, anxiously. "I need to talk to her."

"She's at the café," says Lucas. "Is everything ok?"

"Can I talk to you, Lucas?" asks Bryce.

"Sure," says Lucas, as they sit on a nearby bench.

"What's up, man?" asks Lucas, wondering if it had to do with the events of earlier that afternoon.

"After what happened this afternoon, I know how I'm supposed to feel about my relationship with Haley. I'm really into her but I think she's still in love with that jerk Nathan," starts Bryce.

"Hey, woah, Bryce, Nathan is one of my best friends and he's my brother. Don't talk bad about him. He's a good guy," says Lucas, proudly defending Nathan.

"Ok," says Bryce, shaking his head. "Do you think she still loves him?"

"I don't know, man," says Lucas, shrugging his shoulders. "It really isn't my place to get involved. Nathan and Haley are both my best friends. I only care about Haley's happiness and I know she's happy with you."

Bryce nods his head. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just overreacting. But, maybe I should talk to her."

"Whatever you wanna do, man," says Lucas. "This is your relationship, not mine."

"Ok," says Bryce, getting up. "I'm gonna see you later man. Thanks for the talk. Bye."

"Bye," calls Lucas, as he watches Bryce walk off.

Café

Haley is behind the counter, making some coffee. She called Keith and he took Karen home.

Bryce enters the café.

"Hey," says Bryce, sheepishly.

"Hi," says Haley, washing her hands.

"Can we talk about this afternoon?" asks Bryce, approaching the counter.

"You mean about what an ass you were?" asks Haley, annoyed.

"Woah, Haley, wait a second here. I was just sticking up for you," says Bryce, defensively.

"I never asked you to, Bryce. I never even asked you to come. You knew I needed to talk to Nathan alone," says Haley, obviously annoyed.

"Right, alone with Nathan, your husband," says Bryce, the annoyance evident in his voice.

"Why are you so threatened by him?" asks Haley.

"Because I know you still love him," says Bryce, as a matter of fact.

"Bryce, would you just stop already?" asks Haley, getting angry. "You have no idea how I feel about Nathan."

"That's where you're wrong, Haley," says Bryce, looking directly at her. "I do know how you feel about Nathan. You still love him. All the lingering looks, staring at the spot on your finger where your wedding ring used to be, looking at old pictures of him and you together. It's so obvious, Haley."

Haley just stares at him. "You couldn't be more wrong."

"You know what Haley?" asks Bryce, the rage evident in his voice. "You can lie to yourself but I know. I know that you still love Nathan and wanna be with him. Everyone does. I'm just the fill-in guy until you get the guy you really want. Well, I'm done being the fill-in guy."

"What are you saying?" asks Haley, confused.

"I'm saying that I want you to choose," says Bryce, making his intentions perfectly clear. "Me or Nathan?"

"You're giving me an ultimatum?" asks Haley, not believing her ears.

"That's exactly what I'm doing," says Bryce, confidently. "I want your answer soon or we're through."

Bryce walks out of the café and Haley just looks on, in shock.

What is she going to do?

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 25. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 26, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	26. Moving Out, New Girl

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 26!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Keeping this short, I am glad everyone is enjoying the story and please keep reading and reviewing!

Apartment

It is currently Thursday morning around 6:30 and Brooke and Haley are sitting in the kitchen, talking.

"And they started fighting," says Haley, obviously re-iterating the events of the previous afternoon to Brooke. "I had to call Lucas and Jake to break up the fight."

"And what happened after that?" asks Brooke, anxious to hear the rest of the story.

"I got mad at Bryce and he said he just standing up for me and walked away, angry I had gotten mad at him," explains Haley. "Then, later when I was at the café, Bryce came and accused me of still being in love with Nathan and then he gave me an ultimatum. Him or Nathan."

"Oh My God," says Brooke, shocked. "What are you gonna do?"

"I honestly don't know," says Haley, bowing her head.

"Do you wanna be with Bryce?" asks Brooke, trying to help Haley.

"I do, yes, he's a great guy and I really care about him. But, then there's Nathan," says Haley, shaking her head. "I just don't know."

"Haley," says Brooke, grabbing her hands. "You're a smart girl and I know you'll make the right decision. Just follow your heart, honey."

"Thanks Brooke," says Haley, smiling. "Anyway, tell me what happened with Peyton."

"I was sitting in the courtyard talking to one of the cheerleaders and I saw Peyton hitting on Lucas. Kissing him, rubbing her hands on his chest, and then her hand was heading very low and I got up and confronted her," says Brooke, confidently. "If she wants a war, then she's got one."

"I am on your side all the way Brooke," says Haley, smiling at her. "Peyton's a bitch."

"Haley James and Brooke Davis vs. PMS," says Brooke, smiling.

Haley and Brooke both crack up at PMS.

Roe Home-Lucas' Room

Lucas' room is completely empty. He is carrying three bags and one suitcase and is walking to his door. He hopes to be able to leave without alerting his mom.

He tries to open the door but as he does, one of his bags fall.

Lucas cringes as his mother walks in.

"Lucas, is everything ok?" asks Karen, walking in.

She is taken aback when notices that his room is empty.

"What's this?" asks Karen, as she looks around. "Where are you going?"

She crosses her arms and leans against the door, awaiting his answer.

"I'm moving in with Keith, mom," says Lucas, avoiding her eyes. "And I wanna get settled a bit before I head to school."

Karen's eyes widen. "You will do no such thing. This is your home and I am your mother."

"I'm sorry, mom," says Lucas, gently. He opens the door and grabs his stuff.

Tears begin to form in Karen's eyes. "Lucas, please don't go. I can't lose you too. I am so sorry for what happened. I was wrong and completely out of line. Please don't go."

"It's just too much, mom," says Lucas, putting his bags outside the door. "I'm sorry."

"Goodbye mom," says Lucas, as he walks out and closes the door behind him.

Karen sits down on Lucas' bed, tears flowing freely.

Tree Hill High-Courtyard-An Hour Later

"And I grabbed the rest of my stuff and walked out," says Lucas, telling Nathan about his moving out.

"How'd your mom take it?" asks Nathan, concerned.

"Not well," says Lucas, obviously upset. "But, I can't do anything. I had to leave."

Nathan nods, completely understanding. "So, what happened with you, Brooke, and Peyton yesterday?"

"Oh, you heard?" asks Lucas.

"Yeah, it was all over school yesterday," Nathan tells Lucas.

"Well, I was walking her yesterday and Peyton came up to me and starting hitting on me. Kissing me and rubbing her hands everywhere. And apparently Brooke saw and got really pissed off and now she and Peyton are at war."

"Good Luck Peyton," says Nathan. "Brooke's tough when she wants to be."

"I know," says Lucas, turning to see Brooke and Peyton enter on the other side of the courtyard.

All of a sudden, Jake comes running up to Lucas and Nathan.

Lucas turns away, still angry with Jake.

"Did you guys see the new girl, Elizabeth Jones?" asks Jake. "She's bangin."

Nathan notices that Lucas has turned away. "No, where is she?"

"There," says Jake, pointing.

All three guys turn to look as a confident, charismatic girl with long, flowing blonde hair and green eyes enters the courtyard wearing a blue blouse and blue jeans. She is about 5'5", 125-130 pounds, and has a big bust.

All the guys to turn to look at this dazzling beauty, as do Brooke, Haley, and Peyton, who has just entered the courtyard.

Elizabeth walks up to Lucas, Nathan, and Jake.

"Hi, I'm Elizabeth Jones," says Elizabeth, "My friends call me Liz."

"I'm Nathan," says Nathan. "And this is Jake and Lucas."

"Nice to meet you guys," says Liz, as she looks at Jake.

"You too," says Lucas, as the three guys smile at her.

"I just moved here from San Diego and this is my first day at Tree Hill High," says Liz, as she looks at the bodies of the hot guys standing in front of her. "I don't really know anyone."

"Well, now, you know us," says Jake, as he catches her eyes.

"Can we escort you to your first class?" asks Nathan.

"That'd be so nice," says Liz, smiling. "You're such gentlemen. And hot too."

They laugh. "Thanks."

"Shall we go?" asks Jakes, extending his hand for her to take it.

"Yes," says Liz, taking his hand.

The four of them head off.

Peyton watches as they head off. She noticed that Liz took a particular liking to Jake.

"She seems nice," says Haley, watching as they walk off.

"Yeah," says Brooke. "As long as she stays from Lucas, I'm good."

Haley looks at her watch. "Wanna come with me to my locker?"

"Sure," says Brooke, as they lock arms and head off.

Peyton stands there, obviously jealous of both Liz and Brooke and Haley's friendship. She walks off.

Keith's Apartment

There is a knocking on the door.

"Coming," calls Keith.

He opens the door and is surprised to kind Karen.

"Hi, Karen," says Keith, the surprise evident in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Why am I here?" asks Karen, upset. "Maybe because you let my son move in with you."

"Karen, I'm sorry," says Keith, gently.

"Save it Keith. I trusted you. And you go and do this to me. It's bad enough I lost Andy. Now I lost Lucas too. You betrayed me, you bastard. How could you let Lucas move in with you? Did you everything think about me?" asks Karen, obviously distraught. "Is this payback for me not telling you about the whole thing with Jules?"

"Of course not, Karen," says Keith, hurt by her words. "I love you and I love Lucas too. I'm sorry but I only wanted to make him happy."

Karen just stares at him and then breaks down crying.

Keith pulls her into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Keith," says Karen, though tears. "I didn't mean any of that. I'm just all screwed up right now. I lost both Andy and Lucas."

"Shh," says Keith, trying to soothe her. "It's fine, I understand."

Keith doesn't break the hug and just lets Karen cry on his shoulder.

Tree Hill High-Lunch

Jake and Liz are sitting in the courtyard, talking.

"Yeah, so Nathan, Lucas, and I play for the Ravens," says Jake. "The season actually starts soon."

"That's great," says Liz, enthusiastically. "Maybe I'll become a cheerleader so I can cheer you guys on."

"That'd be nice," says Jake, smiling awkwardly.

"You know, Jake," says Liz, getting closer to him. "I think basketball players are so hot. And you're no exception."

She puts her hand on his leg. "You're incredibly hot and you must have the nicest body."

Liz's hands go up Jake's shirt and they kiss.

Liz is rubbing her hands all over Jake's upper body while they're locked in a heated kiss.

They break the kiss and Liz removes her hand from under Jake's shirt.

"I'm sorry Liz," says Jake, embarrassed. "I don't know what came over me."

"Don't be sorry Jake," says Liz, smiling. "That was a great kiss. And I like you."

"I like you too," says Jake, smiling. He hasn't really felt this way since Peyton.

"Jake, how would you feel about us going out?" asks Liz, bluntly.

"Listen, Liz," says Jake, gently. "I just got out of a very serious relationship. I'm not sure how I feel about starting up another one right now. I'm sorry."

"I understand," says Liz, taking a deep breath. "Tell me you'll think about it, ok?"

"Ok, I'll think about it," says Jake.

"Ok," says Liz, getting up. "I'll see you later."

She kisses him on the cheek and walks away.

Jake watches her walk away and just sits there, thinking. Liz is a great girl, smoking hot and that kiss was amazing. Is he really ready to move on?

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 26. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 27, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	27. Changes That Will Shape The Future

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 27!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 6,257 Hits! Wow, that is an astounding number of Hits! I would like to thank each and every one of you for reading, reviewing, and supporting me. This story wouldn't be as great as it is today without you guys. I do intend to keep writing, despite the fact that I am going back to school. My goal is to post a new chapter every four or five days and I hope I can stick to that.

Anyway, here's chapter 27. I hope you enjoy it!

Apartment

It is currently Thursday night and Haley is in her room, sitting on her bed, deep in thought. She keeps thinking about Bryce's ultimatum: him or Nathan? She knows she needs to give him an answer but after everything that's happened, she honestly doesn't know what she wants.

She sighs. Who is she gonna choose?

Tree Hill High-Friday Morning

Jake is walking through the courtyard with Liz.

"So, Jake, have you given any thought to what I asked you about yesterday?" asks Liz, anxiously. She likes Jake and wants to be with him.

"Yes, I have," says Jake. "I thought about it a lot actually."

"And?" asks Liz, impatiently.

"I'd love to go out with you," says Jake, smiling.

Liz smiles and they kiss.

A very jealous Peyton watches Jake and Liz together. Is she really ready to let Jake go?

Meanwhile, Haley and Brooke are by Brooke's locker.

"So, Haley, have you made up your mind about who you wanna be with?" asks Brooke, casually.

"Yes, I did," says Haley, smiling.

"Oh, yay!" exclaims Brooke, happily. "Who'd you choose?"

Haley whispers it in her ear and Brooke smiles.

"That's great, Haley," says Brooke, still smiling. "And you're sure about this?"

"Yes, I am," says Haley, confidently. "I'm gonna go find Bryce and tell him."

"Good Luck," says Brooke, as Haley walks off.

Haley walks to Bryce's locker and finds him writing something in his notebook.

She taps him on the shoulder and he turns around and smiles.

"Hey, Haley," says Bryce. "What's up?"

"I have an answer for you," says Haley, bluntly.

Bryce puts his notebook in his locker and crosses him arms. "What'd you decide?"

"I thought a lot about it and I realized I only wanna be with you. I'm sorry for everything but I've just had such a hard time moving on from Nathan and I was so scared of opening my heart because I was afraid it would get broken again," says Haley, genuinely.

"I'll never break your heart, Haley," says Bryce.

"I know Bryce," says Haley, taking a deep breath. "I want you to know that I'm finally ready to commit to you fully. I'm ready to move onto the next level in our relationship. I'm ready to jump into this relationship full force."

"Really?" asks Bryce, smiling.

"Really," says Haley, also smiling.

He pulls her into his arms and they kiss.

Tree Hill High-Gymnasium

Brooke, Haley, Peyton and the rest of the cheerleading squad are there.

"So, Broke, why'd you call me here?" asks Peyton, anxious to leave.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm kicking you off the squad and that Haley's taking your place," says Brooke, grinning.

"Brooke, you have to be kidding!" cries Peyton, outraged. "This has to be some kind of joke."

"Oh, it's no joke," says Brooke, seriously. "I'm the captain and I make the decisions. And I decide that you're out and Haley's in."

Peyton turns to the rest of the squad. "Come on guys, help me out here."

"We can't," says Teresa, stepping forward. "We already tried talking to Brooke but she threatened to throw us off the squad as well if we didn't stand by her."

Peyton turns to looks at Brooke.

"Well, Brooke, you can't through me off the squad because there's an opening that hasn't been filled," challenges Peyton. "So both Haley and I can be on the squad."

"That's where you're wrong," says Brooke. "I filled that spot this morning."

"With whom?" asks Peyton, confused.

Haley goes to open the gymnasium doors and in walks Liz, dressed in uniform.

"With Liz," says Brooke, as Liz and Haley walk towards Brooke.

Peyton stares at Brooke and Liz, ticked off.

"Can you guys give us a minute?" Peyton asks the squad.

"Sure," says Teresa, as she and the rest of the squad, including Liz, leave.

"Brooke, that was such a low thing to do," says Peyton, upset. "You're such a bitch."

"Oh, please, Peyton, this is only the beginning," says Brooke, smiling devilishly. "You don't mess with Brooke Davis and get away with it."

"That's right, you tell her Brooke," cheers Haley.

"Oh, shut up, you slut," snaps Peyton at Haley.

"Hey, don't mouth off to my best friend," says Brooke, as she and Haley lock arms.

"I'll get you guys back for this," says Peyton, angrily.

"Good Luck with that," says Brooke. "Because without the cheerleading squad, you're nothing. I'm popular and have all the power. You have nothing."

Peyton looks at Brooke and Haley and walks off, disgusted.

Police Station

Jules walks into the Interrogation Room and sees Deb, already seated.

Jules sits down. "Hello Deb."

"Hi Jules," says Deb.

"I heard about what happened with Dan," says Jules, remorsefully. "I'm so sorry."

"You don't have anything to apologize for Jules," says Deb, firmly. "It was my own choice to try to kill Dan. You only helped me to find the strength I needed to do it. Now, I just have to pay the price."

"You shouldn't have to go down alone," says Jules, obviously feeling guilty. "I'm not sure what type of punishment I'd receive but I wanna tell the police that I was your accomplice."

"No," says Deb, sternly. "Once you tell the police, Dan will find out and he'll make your life a living hell. I don't want that for you."

"I can deal with it," says Jules.

"No, please don't," says Deb. "Your keeping quiet is best. Dan doesn't need to ruin your life as well."

"Thank you Deb," says Jules, smiling.

"Your welcome," says Deb, also smiling.

"I should go. But, I'll see you soon," says Jules. "Be well. Bye."

"Bye," says Deb, as Jules walks out.

Rivercourt-Around 2:00

Lucas and Nathan are there, playing some basketball.

Lucas takes a shot and misses.

"We should've started working out when school first started, three and a half weeks ago," says Nathan, throwing the ball back to Lucas.

"We weren't talking three and a half weeks ago, remember?" asks Lucas, taking another shot and making it.

"Oh, that's right," says Nathan, taking a shot and missing. "I'm sorry about that."

"You don't have to be sorry," says Lucas, taking a breather. "It's in the past and all that matters is the present. And in the present we're best friend who needs to start working out more since basketball season is less than two weeks ago and practice starts Monday."

"How about we make a pact to work out together everyday until the season starts?" Nathan asks Lucas.

"Ok, deal," says Lucas, a bit hesitant.

"Cool," says Nathan, taking a shot and making it.

Nathan's cell phone rings and he grabs it and answers it.

"Hello? Yes, this is he. Oh, yes, hi. She did? Ok. I'm on my way," says Nathan.

He hangs up his cell and grabs his stuff.

"That was my lawyer. Haley dropped off her papers so now I need to go and fill out mine," says Nathan. "But, we'll meet tomorrow at the gym around noon?"

"Sounds good," says Lucas, holding the basketball in his hand.

"Ok, see you later," says Nathan, walking off.

Lucas is left with his thoughts. Can his heart handle all of this physical activity?

Lucas sits down, his worries consuming him.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 27. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 28, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	28. Jealousy, Return of the Devil Himself

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 28!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Keeping this short, I am glad everyone is enjoying the story and please keep reading and reviewing!

Roe Home

It is currently 7:30 Monday morning and Karen is sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast and watching the news.

'All alone,' thinks Karen to herself.

She can't believe how badly she's ruined her life. One out of control night cost her the two people she loves most in this world.

Karen looks up at the clock and decides to head to the café. She needs to keep busy to keep her mind off of everything.

Tree Hill High-Courtyard-15 Minutes Later

Bryce & Haley and Jake & Liz are walking into school.

A jealous Peyton and Nathan watch as the seemingly happy couples enter school together.

"Are you jealous of them?" asks Peyton, referring to Haley and Bryce.

"No, of course not," says Nathan. "It's just hard for me to see my first love move on, especially when I haven't yet."

"Tell me about it," says Peyton, looking around for Jake and Liz.

"He still loves you, you know, Peyton," says Nathan, gently. "He just can't wait around for you forever. He needs to move on."

"What are you talking about?" asks Peyton, getting a bit angry. "He cheated on me, betrayed me, and broke my heart. I can't ever forgive him nor do I wanna be with him."

"Ok, whatever you say, Peyton," says Nathan, as he walks off.

Keith's Apartment

Keith is sitting on the couch in his living room, looking through his mail.

He stops at a letter addressed to him from to the local Tree Hill Church.

He opens it, curious as to what it's about.

He reads it aloud.

"Dear Mr. Scott,

We are terribly sorry your wedding didn't work out but there is still the issue of payment for all the services we provided for the wedding. We have tried to get in touch with Ms. Smith but have had no luck. The total for our services comes to $500. Please send the check as soon as possible.

Thank You,

Tree Hill Church."

'Oh god, I completely forgot about paying the church all those months I was gone,' thinks Keith, aloud. 'Shit, $500. That's a lotta money and I don't have that type of cash.'

He decides to go see Jules and ask her to pay the $500. After all, she was the one who left him at the altar.

Tree Hill High-Lunch

Haley is by her locker, grabbing her English book, so then so she can go meet Bryce in the cafeteria.

"How's the music going?" asks a distant voice that sounds like Chris Keller.

Haley, worried it's him, turns to her right and sees Chris walking towards her locker.

"What the hell are you doing here?" snaps Haley.

"Not exactly the warm welcome I expected," says Chris, smiling.

"What did you expect?" asks Haley, angrily. "Going on tour with you ruined my marriage with Nathan."

"Wait, you and Nathan aren't together?" asks Chris, confused. "Isn't that why you came home?"

"Yes, it was," says Haley, aggravated. "But, no, we're no together. The tour destroyed my marriage."

"Then, who's this guy?" asks Chris, pointing to a picture of Haley and Bryce in Haley's locker.

"That's me," says Bryce, as he confidently walks towards them.

"Who are you?" asks Chris, raising his eyebrow.

"I'm Bryce," says Bryce, as Haley wraps her arms around him. "Her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend," says Chris. "Hm, interesting."

"Who's this clown?" asks Bryce, not liking Chris already.

"This is Chris Keller, the one I was telling you about," says Haley, looking up at him.

"Oh," says Bryce, pulling Haley into his arms. "What are you doing here, Chris?"

"Yeah, Chris, what are you doing here anyway?" asks Haley, getting to the point.

"I came back to see how you and Nathan were doing and to work with you again," Chris tells Haley.

"What!" cries Haley, outraged. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Come on, Haley, we made great music together," says Chris. "Don't you remember?"

"What I remember is my life falling apart from the moment I met you," says Haley, not letting go of Bryce. "My life is finally good again. The last thing I need is more problems."

"Come on, Haley," pleads Chris. "Just think about it."

"No, there's nothing to think about," says Haley, firmly. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Bryce and I are going to lunch."

She shuts her locker and she and Bryce walk off.

Chris stands there, knowing he needs to talk to Nathan.

Jules' Apartment

There's a knocking at the door and a half-dressed Jules opens it to find Keith standing there.

"Keith," says Jules, trying to cover herself. "This is a surprise. What are you doing here?"

Before Keith can answer, a tall, tan and shirtless man with black hair and a toned body comes up behind Jules.

"Hey, did you make any coffee?" asks the man.

Jules eyes widen.

"Hey," says the man, noticing Keith. "I'm Josh Ryans."

"Keith Scott," says Keith, as they shake hands. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," says Josh.

"I made fresh coffee," says Jules, as Josh walks away.

Keith just stares at her and then walks away.

She calls after him and follows him.

"Why'd you come by?" asks Jules, trying to change the subject.

"I got a letter from the church saying we owe them $500 for our wedding," says Keith, a bit annoyed. "You know, the wedding you left me at. But, it's clear you forgot about that since you've been sleeping with other men."

"Keith, I can't believe you're upset," says Jules. "You made it clear you didn't wanna be with me."

"I guess I was just waiting to see that you only wanted to be with me," says Keith, hurt. "But, I guess I was wrong."

"Keith, Josh is an old boyfriend He came into town last night and we were talking and were both lonely and upset and one thing led to another and we slept together," explains Jules.

Keith stands there, look of pain in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Keith but you made it perfectly clear many times that you didn't wanna be with me anymore," says Jules.

"Yeah, you made it clear that you weren't giving up either," says Keith.

"I know I did. And I tried everything I could but it all fell upon deaf ears. I'm tired of wasting my breath," says Jules, looking at him. "Maybe we're just not meant to be."

"Maybe," says Keith, shaking his head. "I guess Dan was right. You're nothing but a whore."

"How Dare You!" cries Jules, instinctively slapping him. "I've done nothing but try to show you how much I love you. I tried my hardest to get you to forgive me. But, each time you pushed me away. Sleeping with Josh was a mistake but waiting around for you was an even bigger one. From this moment on, I want nothing to do with you. Stay away from me and stay out of my life! I'll mail the check to the church and that'll be all. I never wanna see you or talk to you again!"

Jules angrily storms back to her apartment and slams the door.

Keith holds his cheek where Jules slapped him. Is this really the end?

Tree Hill Hugh-Gymnasium-1:30

Nathan and Lucas are there, both doing push-ups. They're wearing tanktops and basketball shorts.

"And 50," says Nathan, as they sit up.

They're both hot and sweaty. They're obviously sticking to their agreement to work out together everyday.

"What time does practice start?" asks Lucas, catching his breath.

"Whitey said around 2," Nathan tells him.

Lucas nods as he gets up and grabs two towels. He throws one to Nathan and they both drink from their water bottles

"How are the Ravens looking this year?" asks Chris, entering the gymnasium.

Lucas and Nathan stare at him, in shock.

"I take it you're surprised to see me," says Chris, noticing their expressions.

"What the hell are you doing here Keller?" asks Nathan, angrily looking at him.

"I came back to work with Haley again and to see how the happy Mr. And Mrs. Scott are," Chris tells Nathan. "But, I hear you and Haley aren't together anymore."

Nathan scowls at him. "Get outta here Keller."

"Or what?" asks Chris, not scared.

"We'll throw water on you so you'll melt," says Lucas, grinning.

"Oh wait, Lucas, the devil doesn't melt, does he?" says Nathan, as they laugh.

"See, now, I thought you'd consider that Bryce guy the devil," says Chris, looking at Nathan.

"You're walking a thin line Keller," says Nathan, obviously enraged. "A very thin line."

"I'm walked thinner lines than this before," retorts Chris.

"Don't be a smart ass Keller," says Nathan, pissed off.

"Can't help it, it's in my nature," says Chris, smiling.

"You ruined my life once already. Leave us all alone. Or else," threatens Nathan. "Let's go, Lucas."

Nathan walks towards the locker room.

"I'll meet you there," Lucas calls to Nathan.

Nathan nods and heads off.

"Listen, and listen good Chris," says Lucas, angrily. "You already ruined Nathan and Haley's lives as well as their marriage."

"And I feel bad about that," says Chris.

"Bullshit. We all know you only care about yourself," says Lucas, enraged. "You couldn't wait to ruin Nathan and Haley's marriage."

"That's so not true," says Chris, defensively.

"Just stay away from me, Nathan, Haley, Bryce, Brooke and everyone else or you'll be sorry," says Lucas, threateningly.

"Now, Lucas, are you threatening me?" asks Chris, mockingly.

"You bet your ass I am," says Lucas, full of rage. "Stay away from all of us or you'll regret it."

Lucas walks off to the locker room, leaving Chris standing there.

Despite Lucas and Nathan's threats, Chris is not only determined to work with Haley again but is also determined to get Nathan and Haley back together.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 28. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 29, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	29. The Future Starts Today

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 29!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: These chapters are being written like wildfire! I am so inspired and have so many ideas. As long as you guys keep reading and reviewing, I will keep writing.

Anyway, here's chapter 29. I hope you enjoy it!

Apartment

It is currently Thursday afternoon around 3:00 and Brooke hears a knocking at the apartment door.

"Coming," calls Brooke, as she opens the door.

When she opens the door, she is surprised to find Chris Keller standing there.

"Haley was right," scowls Brooke. "The scumbag is back."

"Can I come in Brooke?" asks Chris, heading in.

"No, you may not," says Brooke, blocking his way. "Assholes who ruin the lives of my friends are not allowed in my apartment."

"Please," pleads Chris. "It's about Nathan and Haley."

Brooke considers it for a moment. "Ok, fine, come in."

Brooke moves out of the way to allow Chris to enter.

"Nice place you got here," says Chris, as he sits on the couch.

Brooke sits on the chair. "So, what do you want?"

"I wanna get Nathan and Haley back together," says Chris, looking at her. "And I need your help."

"My help?" questions Brooke. "Why do you need my help?"

"Because your Haley's best friend," says Chris, as a matter of fact.

"Why do you even care?" challenges Brooke.

"Because I feel responsible for breaking up their marriage," says Chris, sounding a bit guilty.

"Duh," says Brooke, mockingly. "Of course it's your fault. You made moves on Haley, kissed her, wanted her to be with you, and had her leave Nathan for the tour. So, if it's anyone's fault, it's yours."

"I know that and I wanna make it right," says Chris. "So, will you help me?"

"I don't wanna have any part of this," says Brooke, shaking her head. "Haley is with Bryce now and she's happy and all that matters to me is Haley's happiness."

"Come on Brooke," says Chris. "We all know that Nathan and Haley are soul mates and that Haley doesn't really wanna be with Bryce."

"Perhaps Nathan and Haley aren't soul mates. I mean it didn't work with them, did it?" says Brooke, challenging Chris' statement. "And you don't know what you're talking about because Haley is happy with Bryce and I am not interfering with that. It's up to Nathan and Haley to change things, if they want to that is, and if they do, I doubt either of them will admit it after all that's happened."

"Right, so we have to help them admit the truth," says Chris, obviously having this all planned out.

"No, **_we_** will do no such thing because **_I_** am not getting involved," says Brooke, firmly.

"But, Brooke," starts Chris.

"No, no buts. That's it," says Brooke, getting up. "Now, please leave."

"If you won't help me, then I'll just have to do it myself," says Chris, as he gets up and heads towards the door and opens it.

"Don't mess with Nathan and Haley's lives again," says Brooke, sternly, proudly defending her friends. "You messed things up more than enough once."

"I'll do whatever I deem necessary," says Chris, walking out and closing the door.

Brooke stands there, thinking. If Chris knows what's good for him, then he won't get involved again.

Sawyer Home

Peyton is sitting in her room, listening to the music, when the doorbell rings.

"Now, who could that be?" asks Peyton, aloud.

She heads downstairs and opens the door.

When she opens it, she is stunned to find Ellie standing there.

"I got your letter," says Ellie, calmly.

Flashback-San Francisco Post Office-2 Days Ago

Ellie enters the Post Office and approaches the window. There is a woman behind the window.

"Hello, my name is Ellie Harp. I got a call saying there was a letter here for me," Ellie tells the woman.

"Oh, yes," says the woman, grabbing the letter. "Here it is."

She puts the letter through the window and sees it's from Peyton.

"Thank you," says Ellie, walking away.

She opens the letter.

"Dear Ellie,

If you're reading this letter, then that means I've finally found you. I have been trying to find you but since I had no address I took a chance and sent the letter to the San Francisco Post Office hoping it would somehow get to you. I just wanted to tell you that I am so sorry for pushing you away like I did. I was just so scared of letting you into my heart and losing you too. If I ever wanted anything, it would be another chance with you. I'd love for you to come back to Tree Hill so we could get to know each other. Hope to see you soon!

-Peyton," reads Ellie.

Ellie pulls out her cell phone and calls the local airport.

"Yes, hello, when is your next flight to Tree Hill, North Carolina?" asks Ellie.

Sawyer Home-Present

"Can I take it you're not happy to see me?" asks Ellie, judging by the fact that Peyton hasn't said anything.

Peyton looks at Ellie and then breaks down hysterical crying.

Ellie enters the house, shuts the door, and pulls Peyton into a hug to comfort her.

Tree Hill High-Gymnasium

It is now about 4:00 in the afternoon and Day Four of practice is over. Lucas and Nathan, already changed back to regular street clothes, are talking.

They turn around when they hear the gym doors open and in walks Brooke, carrying a box and an umbrella.

"Lucas, can I talk to you?" asks Brooke, seeming pretty calm.

"Sure," says Lucas, as he looks at Nathan.

"I'll just be in the locker room," says Nathan, as he heads off to give them privacy.

"What's up Brooke?" asks Lucas, wondering why she's there.

Brooke hands him the box.

"What's this?" asks Lucas, looking inside the box.

"It's how I spent my summer, Luke," says Brooke, taking a deep breath. "There are 62 letters in there, all addressed to you. I wrote one each day I was gone."

"But, I don't understand," says Lucas, shaking his head.

"Lucas, I know I hurt you with the whole non-exclusive thing and then with the whole Jake thing but I just wanted you to know that this is how I spent my summer," says Brooke, forming each word carefully. "Wanting you."

Lucas looks at all the letters, in shock.

"I know this doesn't change anything, but I just thought you should know," says Brooke, walking off with single teardrops in her eyes.

Lucas stares at the box and then puts in on the floor and goes running after Brooke.

He finds her already outside in the pouring rain.

"Brooke!" calls Lucas, getting soaked.

She turns around. "Luke, what are you doing?"

"Brooke, I hate not being with you. Yes, you hurt me, especially with the whole Jake thing, but with everything you've done to show me how sorry you are and how much you love me and then with the whole thing where you told Peyton off for hitting on me, to see you care about me that much, and now to see these letters, I can't keep fighting it," says Lucas, the rain dripping off his body.

"I love you," blurts out a soaking wet Brooke.

"I love you too Brooke," says Lucas, running his hand on her cheek. "I want us to try to work on things."

Brooke smiles and he pulls her into his arms.

They kiss, both soaking wet.

Jules' Apartment-4:30

Keith knocks on the door and is surprised when Josh opens the door.

"Hey Keith," says Josh.

"Hey," says Keith, fake smiling. "Is Jules home?"

"Yeah, sure, she's just coming out of the bathroom," says Josh. "I'll go tell her you're here."

"Thanks," says Keith, as Josh walks off.

A couple of seconds later, Jules comes to the door.

"I told you to stay away," says Jules, angrily.

"I know you did," says Keith. "But, I just wanted to apologize for how I acted the other day."

"Keith, I'm done playing this game with you," says Jules, firmly. "You had your chance to be with me and now it's gone. You and I are no more. I'm dating Josh again and I really like him and I'm happy again."

"That's great, Jules," says Keith, half smiling.

"I mailed the check to the church. We're done," says Jules, seriously. "I meant what I said the other day, Keith. I want you out of my life, forever."

"But, Jules," starts Keith.

"Goodbye Keith," says Jules, as she shuts the door.

Keith stands there, shocked and upset.

Café

It is now about 5:00 in the evening and Karen and Haley are at the café. Karen is behind the counter, doing the books while Haley is serving some customers.

"How are you doing with everything, Karen?" asks Haley, coming up to the counter.

"I'm holding up," says Karen, sighing. "Just barely though. And since I had to pay the IRS the $2,500 from my savings, I am barely able to make ends meet."

Haley smiles at her. "Everything will be ok. I'm always here for you Karen."

"I know, Haley, thank you," says Karen, smiling.

All of a sudden, famous record producer David Foster comes walking through the café door.

"Oh My God!" exclaims Haley, in shock. "Karen, do you know who that is?"

"Yes, I do," says Karen, equally as shocked.

Mr. Foster walks up to the counter.

"Hello, I'm David Foster," says Mr. Foster.

"I'm Haley James," says Haley, shaking his hand.

"And I'm Karen Roe," says Karen, shaking his hand. "I own this café."

"So, to what do we owe this pleasure?" asks Haley, grinning.

"I actually came here looking for you Haley," says Mr. Foster.

"Me, why?" asks Haley, confused.

"I saw you on tour and you were quite the sensation. I know talent when I see it and you're everything I've been looking for in a new artist. Fresh, young, and immensely talented. Therefore, I spoke to my associates and we wanna sign you," explains Mr. Foster.

"Oh My God!" exclaims Haley. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, very serious," says Mr. Foster, smiling.

"I cannot believe this!" exclaims Haley, giddily.

"Here's my card," says Mr. Foster, handing her his card. "Give me a call and we'll set up a meeting."

"Ok, I will," says Haley, gleeful. "Thank you, Mr. Foster."

He walks out and Karen comes from around the counter.

"Congratulations Haley!" says Karen, hugging her. "This is fantastic."

"Thanks," says Haley, sitting at the counter.

Oh My God! A record deal, this is beyond huge!

She's looking at Mr. Foster's card, thinking of all the possibilities.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 29. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 30, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	30. Surprises Around Every Corner

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 30!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: This is the fourth chapter I have written in one day. I guess I am just so inspired that when the ideas come to me I just have to put them on paper. And my tremendous number of Hits gives me even more incentive to write. Thank you for reading and reviewing and please continue doing so!  
Anyway, here's chapter 30. I hope you enjoy it!

Apartment

It is approximately two hours since the last chapter ended making it about 7:00 Thursday night.

Haley is sitting in the living room with Brooke and Lucas, the newly reconciled couple.

"And he gave me his card and said to call him to set up a meeting," says Haley, reiterating what happened with Mr. Foster earlier.

"Oh My God!" exclaims Brooke, happily. "This is so amazing Haley."

"Yeah, Hales, this is so awesome," says Lucas, smiling. He is very happy for her.

"Congratulations!" cries Brooke, getting up and hugging her.

"Yeah, Congratulations!" says Lucas, also getting up and hugging her. "You deserve this."

"Thank guys," says Haley, smiling from ear to ear. "I honestly cannot believe this is all actually happening. It is too good to be true. I guess life isn't as bad as I thought."

"You're a great person, Hales," says Lucas, encouraging. "You only deserve to have great things, like this, happen to you."

Haley smiles at him.

"Did you tell Bryce yet?" asks Brooke.

"No, not yet," says Haley. "I wanted to tell him in person so I called him and asked him to come over."

There is a knock at the door.

"Oh, that must be him," says Haley, looking towards the door.

"We'll give you some privacy," says Brooke, as she grabs Lucas' hand and they head towards the bedroom.

Haley opens the door.

"Hey," says Bryce, entering the apartment and closing the door behind him.

"Hey yourself," says Haley, as they kiss.

"Can we sit?" asks Haley, as they break the kiss.

"Sure," says Bryce, as they sit down on the couch. "So, what do you have to talk to me about?"

"Well, I was at the café earlier and David Foster, the record producer, came in. He said he saw me on tour and he and his associates wanna sign me," says Haley, not able to stop herself from smiling.

"Oh My God!" exclaims Bryce, happily. "Haley, this is so awesome. Congratulations!"

"Thanks," says Haley, as he pulls her into a big hug.

"We have to go out to dinner and celebrate," says Bryce, breaking the hug. "Where's Brooke? I want her to come with us."

"She and Lucas are in the bedroom," says Haley, nonchalantly.

"Brooke and Lucas?" questions Bryce, confused. "They're back together?"

"Yeah, they are," says Haley, happy for her friends. "She and Lucas are gonna try to work on things."

"Oh, that's great for them," says Bryce, smiling. "Now, the four of us can go out together."

"Brooke, Lucas!" calls Bryce.

Brooke and Lucas emerge from the bedroom, holding hands.

"What's up?" asks Brooke.

"Haley and I are going out to dinner to celebrate Haley's record deal and I want you guys to come with us," says Bryce, happily.

Brooke and Lucas look at each other.

"We'd love to come," says Lucas.

"Ok, then, let's go," says Bryce.

They all grab their jackets and head to dinner.

Sawyer Home

Peyton wakes up on the couch, hoping Ellie coming back wasn't just a dream.

She gets up and heads into the kitchen, where she sees Ellie cooking.

"Hope you like stew," says Ellie, looking at her. "How'd you sleep?"

"The best I have in a while actually," says Peyton, suppressing a yawn. "How long was I out anyway?"

"About three hours," says Ellie, as she puts the stew in two bowls and brings them into the living room.

They both begin eating their stew, in silence.

"The stew's good," says Peyton.

"Thanks," says Ellie.

"I'm glad you're back Ellie," says Peyton, looking at her.

Ellie smiles. "I'm glad to be back."

They sit in silence for a few more seconds.

"So, what in your life caused you to break down like you did earlier?" asks Ellie, curiously.

"Oh, a lot of things," says Peyton, sighing. "I found my boyfriend kissing my best friend Brooke so I'm no longer talking to them. I was a bitch to Haley about how she left on her tour and I'm no longer talking to her. Brooke and Haley are at war with me because I hit on the guy Brooke's in love with, Lucas. Lucas doesn't wanna be with her because he too saw her kissing Jake. Brooke threw me off the cheerleading squad. Jake has a new girlfriend and Brooke and Haley are now each other's best friends."

"Wow," says Ellie, taking in all Peyton told her. "No wonder you broke down like that."

"Yeah," says Peyton, in tears. "And now I have no one. I'm all alone."

"You're not alone anymore," says Ellie, making Peyton look at her. "You have me now."

Peyton starts crying again and Ellie pulls her in for a hug.

Tree Hill High Courtyard-Friday Morning-7:30

Lucas and Nathan are walking through the courtyard, talking.

"So, then she said she loved me and I told her I loved her and wanted to work on things with her," says Lucas, telling Nathan what happened with Brooke the previous afternoon. "Then we kissed."

"Oh, that's great man," says Nathan, patting him on the back. "You and Brooke make a great couple."

"Thanks," says Lucas, smiling.

"And you and Brooke were together most of the night?" questions Nathan.

"Actually, no," says Lucas, gently. "This is gonna hurt you Nate but Brooke and I went out to dinner last night with Bryce and Haley to celebrate Haley's record deal with David Foster."

"Wow, David Foster," says Nathan, surprised. "That's amazing. I'm happy for her."

"Are you ok?" asks Lucas, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm moving on," says Nathan, checking his watch. "I actually have a date tonight."

"Oh, really, with whom?" inquires Lucas.

"Bevin from the cheerleaders," Nathan tells Lucas.

"Oh, that's cool," says Lucas, happy Nathan's moving on.

"Yeah," says Nathan, checking his watch again. "Hey, Luke, I have to go talk to Mr. Smith about our English paper before first period but I'll meet you at the gym at 1:30."

"Ok, later," says Lucas, as Nathan walks off.

Lucas sees Brooke walking towards school and walks up to her. "Hey girlfriend."

"Hey boyfriend," says Brooke, as they kiss.

They grab hands and continue walking towards school.

"I really think this is gonna work with us," says Lucas, happily.

"I do too," says Brooke, looking at him. "As long as we go slow."

Lucas smiles at her and then sees Jake.

"I'll meet you by your locker," Lucas tells Brooke.

He walks up to Jake.

"Hey Jake," says Lucas, as Jake stops walking.

"You're talking to me again?" asks Jake, surprised.

"Yeah, well Brooke and I are back together," says Lucas.

"Oh, congratulations," says Jake, wondering what that has to do with him.

"Listen, Jake, I'm sorry for being so cold. But, I was just so angry but I've forgiven you. I don't wanna be enemies anymore, I wanna be friends," says Lucas, genuinely.

Jakes smiles. "That's great, Luke. I do too."

They knuckle and head into school together.

Café-1:30

Haley is sitting at one of the tables, waiting for Mr. Foster to arrive.

Mr. Foster walks through the door.

"Hello, Mr. Foster," says Haley.

"Hello Haley," says Mr. Foster, as he sits down.

"Thank you for meeting me here," says Haley.

"It's no problem," says Mr. Foster.

"I have to tell you that I am so honored to be given this opportunity," says Haley, smiling. "This has been a dream of mine for years."

"You're a remarkable talent Haley," says Mr. Foster, genuinely. "How come you're no longer on tour?"

"It's a long story," says Haley.

Mr. Foster nods as he pulls out the contract and a plane ticket.

Haley looks at the plane ticket. "What's that for?"

"It's your ticket to Los Angeles," says Mr. Foster. "The plane leaves Monday morning."

"Los Angeles?" asks Haley, confused. She thought she was gonna be able to stay in Tree Hill.

"My studio is in Los Angeles, Haley," explains Mr. Foster. "Once you sign with my record company, you'll move to Los Angeles, at least while you record your album."

"How long would that be?" asks Haley, already upset.

"Probably about a year," says Mr. Foster. "And then of course once you finish recording your album, you'll be going on tour."

The words **_year_** and **_tour_** ring in Haley's ears. Could she just up and leave Tree Hill, the place where her entire life is, once again?

She looks at Mr. Foster, unsure. What is she going to do?

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 30. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 31, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	31. The Never Ending Cycle of Problems

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 31!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 6,370 Hits! That number blows my mind, thank you to everyone for following my story. Please keep reading and reviewing!

Café

This chapter picks up about a half hour after the last chapter ended, making it about 2:00 Friday afternoon.

Brooke enters the café to find a distressed Haley sitting at one of the tables.

"What's wrong?" asks a concerned Brooke, as she sits.

"I just got through meeting with Mr. Foster," explains Haley. "I'm going to have to go to Los Angeles to record my album."

"When?" asks Brooke, in surprise. "For how long?"

"The plane leaves Monday," says Haley, trying to remain calm. "And it would probably take about a year to record the album and then I'd go on tour."

"Wow!" exclaims a shocked Brooke, sitting back. "What'd you tell him?"

"I told him I needed some time to think about it," says Haley, looking around the café. "He said that's fine. I could even sign the contract in L.A. on Monday morning if necessary."

Brooke grabs Haley's hands.

"I can't do it again, Brooke," says Haley, near tears. "I can't just up and leave again."

Brooke gets up and pulls Haley into a hug.

"Haley, what do you want?" asks Brooke, as they break the hug.

"I don't know," says Haley, wiping away single teardrops. "I mean this opportunity I've been given is beyond amazing and this could be the start of my music career. But, then again, my whole life is here: you, Lucas, Bryce, school, everything. Can I really just up and leave it again?"

Brooke looks at Haley sympathetically. "Have you told Bryce yet?"

"No, he had a swim meet at 1:45," says Haley. "So, he'll be by in a few minutes."

"This feels like last year all over again," says Haley, sadly.

Before Brooke can respond, Lucas enters.

"Sorry I'm late but I had to finish up with basketball practice," says Lucas, as he enters the café.

"What's wrong, Haley?" asks Lucas, noticing she's been crying.

Lucas sits down.

"Mr. Foster said that Haley has to move to Los Angeles to record her album and it would probably take about a year. And then she'd have to go on tour," says Brooke, filling Lucas in. "The plane to L.A. leaves Monday."

"Oh, Hales," says Lucas, sympathetically. "I'm so sorry."

Haley nods her head, as she sits there trying to figure out what to do.

Tree Hill High

"So, Lucas said he didn't wanna be enemies anymore and that was it," says Jake, telling Nathan what happened with Lucas earlier.

"That's great man," says Nathan, smiling. "I'm glad you guys patched things up."

Jake nods. "So, word is you have a date with Bevin tonight."

"Yeah," says Nathan. "Around 8 o'clock."

"That's cool," says Jake, smiling. "I'm glad you're finally moving on. And Bevin, she's hot."

They laugh as Chris walks up to him.

"Nathan, can we talk?" asks Chris.

"Wow, Chris Keller," says Jake, surprised. "I can't believe you're back in town."

"Yeah, I am," says Chris, dismissing Jake. "So, Nathan, can we talk?"

"Buzz off," says Nathan, angrily, as he and Jake begin walking off.

"Please," says Chris, as he grabs Nathan's arm.

"You have two minutes," says Nathan. "I'll catch up with you later Jake."

"Later," says Jake, walking away.

"So, what do you want Keller?" asks Nathan, crossing his arms.

"Did you hear about Haley's record deal with David Foster?" questions Chris.

"Yeah, I did," says Nathan, as a matter of fact.

"Aren't you like upset or jealous, especially now that she has Bryce to share it with?" asks Chris, trying to cause a rise in Nathan.

"I'm fine," says Nathan, calmly. "I'm happy for everything Haley has. I've moved on."

"You can't be serious," says Chris, not believing his ears. "You love Haley and Haley loves you. Everyone knows it."

"No, Keller, we **_loved_** each other, as in past tense," says Nathan, taking a deep breath.

"Love like yours and Haley's doesn't just die," insists Chris.

"It did," says Nathan, a bit angry. "Now, drop the subject."

Before Chris can say anything else, Nathan walks off.

Café

Haley is sitting at one of the tables, waiting for Bryce to arrive. Brooke and Lucas left in order to give them privacy.

Bryce walks through the door.

"Hey," says Haley, as she gets up.

"Hey," says Bryce, as they kiss.

"So, how come you called me?" asks Bryce, as they sit.

"Well, as you know, I had my meeting with Mr. Foster before," says Haley.

"Right," says Bryce, confused as to where this is going.

"Well, in order to record my album, I would have to move to Los Angeles for a year. And then I would be going on tour," says Haley, trying not to stumble on her words.

"Oh, that sounds good. I'm glad the contract signing went well. So, when do you leave for L.A.? End of this year?" asks Bryce, smiling and obviously not getting the point.

"Bryce," says Haley, gently. "I didn't sign the contract. The plane for L.A. leaves on Monday. I told Mr. Foster I needed time to make up my mind. And he said that if necessary, I could sign the contract in L.A. on Monday morning."

Bryce's smile fades. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," says Haley, sadly. "I am."

Bryce leans back in this chair, his face showing his sadness. "I can't believe this."

"I know," says Haley, trying to remain calm. "I couldn't believe it either when he told me."

"What are you going to do?" asks Bryce, seriously.

"I don't know," says Haley, looking directly at him. "I was sort of hoping for your input."

"Haley," says Bryce, sweetly as he grabs her hands. "I can't make this decision for you. It's your dream, your choice, and your life."

"But, my choice affects our relationship," says Haley, looking into his eyes.

"I know," says Bryce, softly. "But, this is your dream and you've been given an amazing opportunity to pursue it. Whatever you decide, I'm behind you one hundred percent. We will find a way to make things work."

Haley smiles at him.

"Thank you," says Haley, as they get up.

Bryce pulls her into a hug, devastated at the thought of possibly losing her.

Karen's Car-3:30

Karen is in her car, on her way to the supermarket to buy some groceries.

The song "Ordinary People" by John Legend comes on.

As the song begins, Karen begins thinking about Andy.

Boy, she misses him so much! He's only been gone a little over a week and she feels a huge void in her heart. How could she continue living without him?

Tears form in her eyes, blocking her vision.

She doesn't see an out of control truck swerve into her lane.

Karen's car and the truck collide, head-on.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 31. A bit short but right to the point! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 32, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	32. This Can't Be Happening!

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 32!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy and other characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: I am beyond thrilled to see that this story has such a huge following! At this moment, I have 7,420 Hits and counting! That is a phenomenal number of Hits, thank you to everyone. Please keep reading and reviewing.

Tree Hill Hospital-5:00

We enter Karen's hospital room, room 206, to find Lucas, Brooke, Haley, Jake, and Nathan there. Karen is lying in the hospital bed, unconscious.

Brooke is holding a very distraught Lucas' hand. He is obviously very worried about his mom.

A young doctor of about 30 years old and 5'7" enters the hospital room. He has brown hair and brown eyes and is wearing a typical doctor's uniform.

"Which one of you is Ms. Roe's son?" asks the doctor.

"I am," says Lucas, standing up. "Lucas Scott."

"I'm Dr. Kevin Jacobs," says Dr. Jacobs, as they shake hands. "I'm your mom's doctor."

"How is my mom doing?" asks Lucas, his face showing obvious concern.

"I think you should sit down," says Dr. Jacobs, gently.

Lucas sits down and grips Brooke's hands tightly.

"Lucas, your mother got into quite a car accident," says Dr. Jacobs, softly. "The impact of the crash has caused her to fall into a coma. I'm sorry Lucas but unless she pulls out of it herself, there's nothing I can do."

Lucas breaks down into tears and Brooke hugs him. She, Haley, Jake, and Nathan also have tears in their eyes because they too love Karen.

Police Station-Interrogation Room

Deb is sitting at the table when Dan walks in.

"Hello my dear wife," says Dan, as he sits down across from Deb.

"Cut the crap, Dan," says Deb, straightforward. "What do you want?"

"I have an offer for you Deb," says Dan, grinning. "One that'll erase this entire mess."

"What are you talking about?" asks Deb, in confusion.

"I'll agree to drop all the charges and get your record cleared and forget all about everything if you agree to put on the 'good wife' act while I run for mayor," says Deb, looking directly at her.

"Are you serious?" asks Deb, not believing her ears.

"One hundred percent," says Dan, seriously. "What do you say Deb?"

"I say that you've got a deal," says Deb, smiling.

"Good," says Dan, getting up. "I'll go talk to my lawyer and you should be released soon."

"Thank you Dan," says Deb, grateful for this offer. She knows it comes with strings attached, but she'd take anything over jail and a criminal record.

Dan smiles as he walks out.

Deb sits back in her chair, in complete and utter shock. She cannot believe she is getting a get out of jail free card.

Tree Hill Hospital-6:00

Lucas, Brooke, Haley, Jake, and Nathan are all still there. Lucas is sitting in silence, by his mom's bedside.

"Oh, mom," says Lucas, holding back his own tears. "I'm so sorry about everything. I need you, please wake up."

Brooke walks up behind him and puts her hands on his shoulders.

"Your mom will wake up Luke," says Brooke. "If she's anything, she's definitely a fighter. She just won't give up."

Tears begin flowing down Lucas' face and Brooke hugs his from behind.

Keith comes walking into the room.

"How is she?" asks Keith, obviously concerned.

When he sees Lucas, he goes and sits beside him.

Brooke, who's still hugging Lucas from behind away, walks away to give Lucas and Keith a minute alone.

Bryce comes walking through the door.

"Oh, Bryce," says Haley, as she gets up and hugs him.

"I came as soon as I could," says Bryce, as they break the hug. "How's Karen doing?"

"Not good," says Haley, obviously concerned. "She's in a coma."

"Is she gonna wake up?" asks Bryce.

"They don't know," says Haley, sadly. "Bryce, Karen's like a second mother to me. She always took care of me and looked out for me like I was her own daughter. I'd die if we lost her."

Bryce pulls a now crying Haley into a hug to comfort her.

Ignoring his own feelings about Haley and Bryce, Nathan speaks up.

"Haley's right," says Nathan, breaking the silence. "Karen's always been good to me, to all of us. It'd be such a tragedy if she didn't make it through."

"When Lucas and I first started going out, Karen was so supportive and always treated me like I mattered. She was always there for me," says Brooke, nears tears herself.

"Karen was such a big help with Jenny. She helped me feed her, change her, and taught me how to be a parent. Karen was there every step of the way," says Jake, upset.

"She's always been a warm and loving woman," says Peyton, walking into the hospital room.

Haley and Brooke cringe as they see Peyton.

"What are you doing here?" asks Brooke, angrily.

"Yeah, Lucas needs support right now," says Haley, sadistically. "Not more problems."

Peyton looks towards Jake but he just turns away.

Lucas gets up.

"I know there are some hard feelings in this room, but, Peyton, Bryce, I appreciate the fact that both of you came," says Lucas, wiping away his own tears. "It means a lot to me."

Peyton and Bryce smile.

Deb suddenly walks into the hospital room.

"Deb?" asks Keith, not believing his eyes. "I thought you were in jail."

"I was," says Deb, explaining. "But, Dan and I cut a deal. I agreed to support him while he runs for mayor and he dropped all the charges."

"Mayor?" asks Keith, in surprise. "He wants to be mayor now?"

"Yes," says Deb. "You have to understand, this offer was too good to refuse."

Everyone nods, understanding.

"Oh, mom," says Nathan, getting up and hugging her. "I'm so happy to see you."

"I'm happy to see you too Nathan," says Deb, tightening the hug.

They break the hug and Deb notices Bryce.

"Who's he?" asks Deb, referring to Bryce.

"Oh, Deb, this is Bryce," says Haley, awkwardly as she introduces them. "My boyfriend."

"Oh, nice to meet you," says Deb, as she smiles awkwardly at him.

"You too," says Bryce, smiling awkwardly back.

"Lucas," says Deb, walking towards a now seated Lucas. "How's your mom doing?"

"Not good," says Lucas, trying to remain calm. "The impact of the accident has caused her to fall into a coma. Only she can pull herself out of it."

Deb grabs Lucas' hand. "Your mom's strong. She will pull through."

Lucas half smiles and a female nurse walks in.

"I'm sorry everyone," says the nurse. "But, visiting hours are over."

"Ok," says Lucas, as the nurse leaves.

"We're gonna go," says Haley, as she and Bryce head to the door. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call."

"Same goes for us," says Nathan, as he and Deb proceed out. "We're here for you Luke."

They leave.

"Liz and I have plans tonight but I'm just a phone call away," says Jake. "If you need me, call me."

"Thanks," says Lucas, as Jake leaves.

This now leaves Peyton, Brooke, and Lucas alone.

"Well, I'm going to go too," says Peyton, heading to the door.

"Thanks for coming, Peyton," says Lucas, smiling at her.

Peyton smiles back and walks away.

"Let's go," says Brooke, as she grabs her and Lucas' jackets.

Lucas takes one last look at his mom and kisses her forehead. "I love you mom."

Brooke wraps her arms around Lucas and they leave.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 32. A bit short but right to the point! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 33, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	33. Surprise, Surprise

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 33!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 7, 687 Hits! That is such a mind-blowing number of Hits. I am honestly in shock. I mean yes, I thought my story was good and that my writing was good, but I never thought it was so good that it would constitute over 7,000 Hits! I am beyond thrilled to see everyone is enjoying this story! I promise that this story is going to only keep getting better. I still have so many ideas to incorporate and of them is Haley's decision about her record deal, which should be coming up soon.

Anyway, here's chapter 33. I hope you enjoy it!

Apartment-6:00

Haley and Bryce are lying together on the couch in the living room, watching a repeat of a "Friends" episode.

"Ross loves Rachel," says Bryce, suddenly. "Just like I love you."

"What did you just say?" asks Haley, quickly sitting up.

"I'm sorry Haley," says Bryce, putting his arm on the couch's armrest. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way and I know we've only been together a little over a month, but, I do love you."

Haley just sits there, unable to find her words.

"Bryce, I don't know what to say," says Haley, flustered. "I really like you but I'm not sure if it's love."

"Don't worry about it," says Bryce, calmly. "There's no pressure whatsoever. I don't expect you to just say it because I said it to you. I want you to really feel it if or when you do."

Haley just stares at him, unsure of what to say now.

Instead of saying anything, Bryce gestures for Haley to lie back in his arms.

She lays back in his arms, deep in thought. Does she love him?

Scott Home

Deb is in her bedroom, putting some of her things away. Not that she's complaining, but she can't believe how well everything has worked out.

Nathan knocks on the door.

"Nathan," says Deb, as he walks into the room.

"I'm so happy you're home mom," says Nathan, as they hug. "I missed you so much."

"I too am happy to be back and I missed you too," says Deb, tightening the hug. "When Dan came to me with his offer, I just couldn't pass it up."

"I understand," says Nathan, as they break the hug. "It was an offer too good to refuse."

"Exactly," says Deb, smiling.

Nathan smiles. "I'm going to go and see how Lucas is doing. Wanna come with me?"

"Sure," says Deb, as they head out.

Sawyer Home

Peyton walks through the front door and finds Ellie sitting on the couch.

"How'd it go?" asks Ellie.

"Karen's in a coma and neither Brooke nor Haley were happy to see me," says Peyton, dejectedly.

"That doesn't matter," says Ellie, firmly. "You went there to see how Karen was doing and to offer Lucas your support. That is all that matters."

"Jake was there," says Peyton, sadly.

"Did anything happen with you two?" asks Ellie, obviously interested.

"No," says Peyton, near tears. "He barely looked at me. And Brooke and Lucas are back together."

"How?" questions Ellie.

"I don't know," says Peyton, holding back her tears. "Brooke and I don't speak anymore and now that he and Brooke are back together, Lucas' loyalties lie with Brooke."

Peyton is obviously about to cry.

"Are you ok?" asks Ellie, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah," says Peyton, taking a deep breath. "I'm just gonna go up to my room and listen to music."

"Peyton," calls Ellie.

"Yeah?" asks Peyton, turning around.

"I'm here for you if you need me," says Ellie, genuinely.

"I know, thanks," says Peyton, as she turns around and heads upstairs.

Ellie watches Peyton go upstairs, hoping she'll be ok.

Roe Home-7:00

Deb and Nathan enter through the front door and hear voices coming from the kitchen.

"This way," whispers Nathan, motioning for his mom to follow him.

They enter the kitchen to find Lucas and Brooke talking.

"Hey Lucas," says Nathan, causing Lucas and Brooke to turn to look at them.

"Hey," says Lucas, half smiling. "What are you doing here?"

"We just came to see how you're doing," says Deb, gently.

She and Nathan join Lucas and Brooke at the kitchen table.

"I'm hanging in there," says Lucas, as Brooke squeezes his hand. "Just trying to keep it together."

"Did you call Andy?" asks Nathan.

"I called his cell and got his voicemail so I just left him a message," says Lucas.

Deb smiles at Lucas, sympathetically.

"Well, we're gonna go. Give you and Brooke some time alone," says Deb, as she and Nathan get up.

"Thank you for coming guys," says Lucas, smiling. "It means a lot to me."

"We're here for you Luke," says Nathan, smiling.

Lucas and Nathan knuckle and Deb hugs Lucas.

"We'll call you guys if anything changes," says Brooke.

"Please do," says Deb, as she and Nathan leave.

Lucas pulls Brooke in for a hug, really needing to be in her embrace right now.

Apartment-8:00

Haley is sitting on the couch, having just received yet another call from Mr. Foster asking about her decision. Bryce left about a half hour ago.

Haley sits there. Not only is she still shocked by Bryce's confession of love, but she is also conflicted about what she wants to do about the whole record deal thing. Regret is a bitch and she doesn't want it to come back to bite her in the ass.

Haley is snapped out of thoughts by a knocking on the apartment door.

"Coming," calls Haley, as gets up to answer the door.

She opens the door to find a dressed up Bevin standing there. She is wearing a beautiful red dress, red shoes, earrings, a necklace, and her hair is down.

"Hey Haley," says Bevin, cheerfully.

"Hey Bevin," says Haley. "Come on in."

"Thanks," says Bevin, as she enters the apartment and Haley shuts the door.

"What's up?" asks Haley.

"I was just looking for Brooke to talk to her about the cheerleading practice schedule," says Bevin, looking around. "Where is she?"

"Oh, she's not home right now," says Haley. "She's at Lucas'."

"Oh, ok," says Bevin. "Thanks anyway."

"Bevin, you look stunning. Can I ask why you're all dressed up?" asks Haley, curiously.

"Nathan and I are going on a date," says Bevin, guiltily. "I'm so sorry. I didn't meant to hurt or betray you but I've always liked him and he asked me out and I said yes. I know you're my friend and I shouldn't have but…"

"Woah, Bevin!" exclaims Haley, cutting her off. "It's all right, relax. You have nothing to apologize for or to explain. Both Nathan and I have moved on and if you and him are together now, then I'm happy for you."

"Thank you Haley. I feel a lot better," says Bevin, smiling. "I'll see you later. Bye."

"Bye," says Haley, as Bevin leaves.

Haley smiles, very proud herself for how she handled that. Maybe she really is over Nathan.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 33. A bit short but right to the point! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 34, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	34. It's A Miracle!

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 34!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Keeping this short, I appreciate everyone's support and please keep reading and reviewing!

Apartment

It is now about 1:00 Saturday afternoon, the afternoon after the last chapter ended.

Haley is sitting on the couch, deep in thought, while Brooke is scrambling around in the kitchen. She's preparing some food to bring to Lucas at the hospital.

"Brooke," calls Haley, lowly.

Brooke doesn't even hear Haley call her name because she is so preoccupied.

"Brooke!" yells Haley.

Brooke turns around, startled.

"Oh, gee, Haley," says Brooke, obviously only half paying attention. "I didn't even notice you."

"Brooke," says Haley, gently. "We've been in the same room for over a half hour. Are you ok?"

Brooke sits down at the kitchen counter. "I'm just really worried about Karen and Lucas."

"I know you are, I am too," says Haley, gently. "But, Lucas will be fine because Karen will wake up."

Brooke smiles, hopefully. "Anyway, what'd you wanna talk to me about?"

"I made my decision," says Haley, bluntly.

"What?" asks Brooke, getting up and joining Haley on the couch. "What'd you decide?"

"After giving it a lot of careful consideration, I have decided to accept Mr. Foster's offer," says Haley, taking a deep breath.

"Really?" asks Brooke, in surprise.

"Yes," says Haley, nodding her head. "I gave it a lot of thought and came to the conclusion that it's just too good of an opportunity to pass up. I know I would forever regret it, if I don't at least give it a shot."

"That's great," says Brooke, smiling. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," says Haley, smiling.

"Have you told Bryce yet?" asks Brooke.

"No," says Haley, calmly. "He has a swim meet but I'll talk to him later."

"How do you think he's gonna take it?" asks Brooke, concerned.

"I honestly don't know," says Haley, sighing. "I love him and all and I hope he can accept my decision."

Brooke is taken aback by Haley's words. "Did you just say that you love him?"

"Yes, I did," says Haley, smiling. "He told me he loved me last night and ever since, I've been thinking a lot about it. And when I thought about it, it was a no brainer. The connection he and I have, the way we are together, and the type of feelings I have for him, it's obviously love."

"Aw, Haley," says Brooke, as she pulls her into a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks Brooke," says Haley, as they break the hug.

"Are you gonna tell Lucas about your decision?" asks Brooke.

"Yeah," says Haley. "I know he's going through a lot with his mom and everything, but he needs to know."

Brooke smiles. "Ok, well, you ready to go to the hospital?"

"Let's go," says Haley, as they get up.

Brooke grabs the food and they leave.

Jules' Apartment

Keith knocks on the door.

To his surprise, Josh answers.

"Is Jules home?" asks Keith, impatiently.

"No," says Josh. "She went out."

"When will she be back?" asks Keith, as a matter of fact.

"If I'm not mistaken, didn't Jules tell you to stay away?" asks Josh, a bit annoyed.

"That's none of your business," snaps Keith/

"Actually, it is," says Josh, cockily. "You see, Jules is my girlfriend and I am sick and tried of you hurting her."

"Just tell Jules I stopped by," says Keith, walking off.

"Go screw yourself," calls Josh, as Josh begins to close the door. "And leave my girlfriend alone."

Keith walks back and pushes the door open with his hand.

"Listen, you little cocky son of a bitch. I don't know who the hell you think you are but you don't talk to me like that you, you jerk off," says Keith, angrily.

"You're the jerk off here," says Josh, fuming. "Oh, no, I'm sorry that's what you do those lonely nights at home."

Josh laughs and Keith punches him.

Josh grabs his jaw and goes to punch Keith but Keith grabs his fist.

"Listen, you little fucker. I love Jules and she loves me. She and I are meant to be. You're just a simple annoyance that will be gone soon enough. If you ever bother me again, you will be sorry," says Keith, threateningly.

He lets go of Josh's fist and then proceeds to kick him in the groin.

Josh bends over, in pain.

"Have a nice day," says Keith, as he walks off.

Hospital-1:30

Brooke and Haley walk into the hospital room to find Lucas sitting by Karen's bedside.

"How's she doing?" asks Haley, alerting him to their presence.

"No change," says Lucas, turning to look at them.

Brooke looks at him. "I brought you some food."

"No, thanks, Brooke," says Lucas, staring at his mom. "I'm not hungry."

"Luke," says Brooke. "You can't do this to yourself."

"Yeah, Luke," says Haley, as she and Brooke approach him. "This is not your fault."

"Isn't it?" challenges Lucas. "My mom was in so much pain from my moving out and from Andy's leaving, it's no wonder this happened. We drove her to this. I just wish I could tell her I love her one least time.""

"Luke," says Brooke, as she sits next to him. "You had your reasons for moving out. You didn't drive your mom into anything. It was an accident."

"She's right," says Haley, who's standing behind Lucas. "Your mom was a strong woman. She was fighting through all the pain she felt. She always knew you loved her, you were just angry."

Lucas begins crying and Brooke pulls him into a hug.

Haley just looks on, her heart breaking for him. How could she be so selfish as to tell him her news right now?

Haley's cell phone rings.

She looks at it and shuts it off.

"Who was that?" asks Brooke, as she and Lucas break their hug.

"Mr. Foster," says Haley. "But, I can call him back. This is much more important."

"Speaking of, did you ever make your decision?" asks Lucas, wiping away his tears.

"Luke," says Haley, gently. "You have too much on your plate already. It can wait."

"No, please," says Lucas, calmly. "Tell me."

Haley sits down on the other side of Lucas.

"I've decided to take the record deal," says Haley. "I leave for LA tomorrow around 5:00."

"Oh," says Lucas, taken aback. "That's great."

"I'm sorry, I know you're going through so much right now and now you find out I'm leaving," starts Haley.

"Haley," says Lucas, cutting her off. "Relax, it's fine. You don't have to apologize. I'm happy for you. This is a great opportunity for you."

"Thanks Luke," says Haley, smiling at him.

He smiles back as Andy comes running into the room.

"Where is she?" cries Andy. "Oh My God! Karen!"

He rushes to her bedside and kisses her forehead.

"Oh, Karen," says Andy, near tears. "This can't be happening."

He turns around to acknowledge Lucas, Brooke, and Haley.

"Lucas, Brooke, Haley," says Andy. "It's nice to see you. I came as soon as I could Lucas."

"We'll leave you two alone," says Brooke, as she and Haley exit the room.

Lucas and Andy sit down.

"I got your message yesterday but couldn't get a flight until this morning," says Andy. "How is she?"

"She's in a coma," says Lucas, sadly. "And only she can pull herself out of it."

"Oh My God!" exclaims Andy, running his hands through his hair. "I cannot believe this is happening."

"You and me both," says Lucas, sadly.

"How are you holding up?" asks Andy, concerned about Lucas.

"I'm ok," says Lucas. "Just trying to hold it together."

"Well, I'm here now, Luke," says Andy. "You're not alone in this anymore."

"I was never alone," says Lucas. "I had Brooke and all my friends."

"Oh, right, I forgot, I'm sorry," says Andy, overwhelmed. "I'm just a little overwhelmed at the moment."

Lucas nods, understanding.

Meanwhile, outside in the hall, Haley and Brooke are talking.

"No, I can't leave anymore, Brooke," says Haley, shaking her head. "Lucas needs me, you need me."

"Haley, listen to me," says Brooke, firmly. "Lucas is in pain and yes, we all need to be here for him but Haley, this is something that you can't put on hold. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Lucas understands that. Besides, Karen could wake up before you leave tomorrow."

"You're right," says Haley, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

Haley and Brooke suddenly see Dan.

"Dan?" asks Brooke, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see Karen," says Dan, walking into her room.

Dan enters to find Lucas and Andy sitting by her bedside.

"Lucas," says Dan, getting his attention. "How is she?"

"What are you doing here Dan?" asks Lucas, having enough problems already.

"I came to see how Karen's doing," says Dan, almost sounding genuinely concerned.

"Bullshit Dan," says Andy, rising from his seat. "We all know you don't give a shit about anything other than yourself. I don't know why you're here but the woman I love is in a coma and Lucas and me are already in enough in pain. So, just leave."

Before Dan can respond, Lucas yells something.

"Her fingers moved!" cries Lucas. "I felt them."

Andy runs to her beside and Karen's eyes slowly begin opening.

"Mom?" asks Lucas.

"Karen?" asks Andy.

Karen fully opens her eyes and she grabs her head.

"Wow, my head hurts!" groans Karen.

"Oh, it's a miracle," cries Lucas, as he and Andy pull her into a three-way hug.

"What's going on?" asks Karen, disoriented. "Where am I? And am I dreaming or are both of you guys really here?"

"It's not a dream mom," says Lucas, smiling with delight.

A smiling Brooke and Haley enter with Dr. Jacobs.

"Ms. Roe, I see you're up," says Dr. Jacobs. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," says Karen, looking around. "Just confused as to what happened and how I got here."

"You got into a car accident, Ms. Roe," explains Dr. Jacobs. "You were in a coma for the last 10 and ½ hours."

Karen looks around at the smiling faces of Brooke, Haley, Lucas, and Andy.

"We just need to run a few preliminary tests and then you'll be free to go," says Dr. Jacobs. "I'll be back shortly."

He walks out of the room.

"Brooke, can you do me a favor and call Deb and Nathan and let them know my mom woke up?" asks Lucas, ecstatic.

"I'm going home. I'll let them know," says Dan. "Glad to see you're awake Karen."

He walks out of the room.

"Deb and Nathan?" asks Karen, confused. "Isn't Deb in jail?"

"You've missed a lot, mom," says Lucas, smiling.

Karen looks at Andy, knowing they're going to have to talk.

But, right now, she is just glad to be surrounded by the ones she loves.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 34. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 35, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	35. Reconciliations, Will I What?

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 35!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Keeping this short, I am glad everyone is enjoying this story. Please keep reading and reviewing, it's greatly appreciated!

Tree Hill Hospital-Karen's Room-3:30

Lucas and Andy are sitting by Karen's beside. Brooke went to the café to look after things for Karen and Haley went home to wait to talk to Bryce. Both Brooke and Haley had spoken to Karen and expressed their happiness about her being awake.

"So, Haley decided to take the record deal," says Lucas.

"Oh, that's a great opportunity for her," says Andy, smiling.

"She'll be great," says Karen, also smiling.

Andy's cell phone rings.

He takes out it out of his pocket.

"I'm just gonna step outside," says Andy, as he steps into the hall to take the call.

Lucas and Karen sit in silence.

"Lucas," says Karen, grabbing his hand. "I know how much I hurt you and that what happened caused you to move in with Keith but I want you to know how terribly sorry I am. I know it doesn't change anything but I just wanted you to know that I completely regret what I did."

"Mom," says Lucas, gently. "Finding out you got into a car accident was one of the scariest things, if not the scariest thing, I've ever experienced. I watched you lie there and every second you were in your coma, I just prayed you knew how much I loved you and how sorry I was for everything. I never meant to hurt you, mom. I was just angry and upset but almost losing you scared the hell out of me. Mom, I love you so much and I am so sorry for everything."

"Ok, Lucas," says Karen, as she pulls him into a hug. "I love you too."

They stay in the embrace, both with tears in their eyes.

Andy walks into the room, pausing as he sees the touching scene in front of him.

Karen and Lucas break the hug when they notice Andy.

"Lucas," says Karen, looking at Andy. "Can you give Andy and I a minute?"

"Sure," says Lucas, as he walks out of the room.

Andy sits down on Karen's bed.

"I'm so happy you're all right," says Andy, grabbing her hand.

"Andy," says Karen. "It means the world to me that you came. With the way everything's been with us, it just brings me such joy. I know how deeply I hurt you by what I did. It is the biggest regret I have and I hope now that you're back we can work towards reconciliation. Because Andy, I love you and I am so sorry."

"Karen," says Andy, looking directly at her. "When I got that call from Lucas, I almost died. That was by far the worst phone call I've ever received and I never wanna have to receive another call like that again. On my plane ride over here, I tried to imagine what I would say to you. So, here it is. Karen, I love you with all my heart and I know a lot has happened but I was so scared of losing you and I never wanna have to feel that way ever again. I want us to be together again."

Karen smiles and they kiss.

Meanwhile, in the hall, Lucas is waiting outside the hospital room.

"Lucas," calls Deb, as she and Nathan approach him.

"Hey Deb," says Lucas.

"I'm so sorry it took me so long to get here. When Nathan came here earlier to see your mom, I was at my lawyer's and couldn't get away," says Deb, guiltily. "Can I see her?"

"Yeah, sure," says Lucas, as Deb enters the room.

"So, where are Brooke and Haley?" asks Nathan.

"Brooke went to the café to look after things for my mom and Haley went back to the apartment to talk to Bryce about her acceptance of Mr. Foster's offer," says Lucas, suddenly realizing what he just said. "Oh, Nate…"

"What do you mean?" asks Nathan, confused. "I thought he just offered her a record deal."

"He did," says Lucas, kicking himself for opening his mouth. "But, it requires her moving to LA for a year."

"Oh," says Nathan, trying to hide his emotions. "That's great."

"Nate, I'm sorry," says Lucas, gently.

"No worries," says Nathan, obviously upset. "I'll see you later."

Nathan walks off.

Meanwhile, in Karen's room, she, Andy, and Deb are talking.

"So, I got get out of jail free card and couldn't just pass it up," says Deb, telling them what happened.

"Wow, that's amazing Deb," says Andy, smiling.

"I missed you Deb," says Karen, as they hug.

"I missed you too," says Deb, tightening the hug.

"Oh, speaking of," says Deb, as she breaks the hug and grabs something out of her purse. "This is for you."

"What is this?" asks Karen, looking at what appears to be a check.

"The repayment of the money that you paid the IRS," says Deb. "Plus, an extra $500 for any extra strain that was put on you."

"Wow, Deb," says Karen, as she looks at the check. "Thank you."

Karen sits there, smiling. Her life is really starting to look up!

Apartment

Haley is sitting on the couch, anxiously waiting for Bryce to arrive.

How could she tell him about her decision? How would he react?

There is a knock ate the door and Haley gets up to answer it.

When she opens the door, Bryce is standing there.

"Hey," says Bryce, as he comes in and shuts the door.

"Hey," says Haley, as she pulls him into a hug. It's as if she's holding onto him for dear life.

She just lies against his chest, never wanting to let go.

"Haley," says Bryce, not breaking the hug. "Is everything ok?"

"Of course it is," says Haley, tightening the hug. "I have you and that's all I need."

"Haley," says Bryce, breaking the hug and looking into her eyes. "What's going on?"

"Let's sit," says Haley, hesitantly.

They sit down on the couch.

"I love you Bryce," says Haley, genuinely.

Bryce smiles widely. "Really?"

"Yes, really," says Haley.

They kiss.

Haley folds her hands in her lap. "And that's what makes this even harder."

Bryce's smile fades. "Makes what even harder?"

"Bryce," says Haley, gently. "I've decided to accept Mr. Foster's offer."

"Wow," says Bryce, sitting back in shock.

"I'm sorry Bryce," says Haley, near tears. "I really do love you and you mean the world to me and I gave it a lot of thought and I would never forgive myself if I didn't take this chance. Just like I never would've forgiven myself if I hadn't told you that I loved you."

Bryce smiles a little. "When do you leave?"

"Plane leaves tomorrow at 5," says Haley, grabbing his hands. "Bryce, I completely understand if you don't wanna do this whole long distance relationship thing."

"Haley," says Bryce, squeezing her hands. "Yes, I know it's gonna be hard because I love you as well and you mean everything to me but I am not just gonna give up on us. When you first told me about this, I told you I would be behind you one hundred percent and that we would find a way to make this work. I still mean that. I'm thrilled for you, Haley. You deserve this. And we will find a way to make our relationship work."

"Bryce, it's not gonna be fair to you, though," says Haley. "There'll probably be days when I can't talk to you and I don't know how often I'll be able to fly to Tree Hill with Mr. Foster's private jet. And I don't know how often you'll be able to fly to LA on the private jet. I don't wanna cause you pain."

"The only way I could be in pain is if you and I weren't together. I'm not saying it's not gonna be hard nor difficult but I love you and am willing to do whatever it takes to make things work between us," says Bryce, reassuringly.

Haley just smiles at him, unsure of what to say.

He pulls her in for a hug.

Tree Hill Hospital-Karen's Room

"Oh, Karen, I'm so happy you're all right," says Keith, smiling at her.

He is sitting at her bedside and they are talking.

"I know you were hurt when Lucas moved in with me and I'm so sorry but," starts Keith.

"Don't worry about it, Keith," says Karen, cutting him off. "I understand you were only doing what was best for Lucas and I know you didn't meant to hurt me. I was never angry with you. Besides, Lucas is moving home anyway."

"That's great," says Keith, smiling. "And I hear you and Andy are back together."

"Yeah," says Karen, unable to stop herself from grinning. "Everything's good again."

Meanwhile, Brooke is in the waiting room.

Lucas approaches her carrying two cups of coffee. He hands her hers and they sit down.

"You ok Luke?" asks Brooke, concerned.

"Yeah," says Lucas, looking at her. "Just thinking about how short life is."

"It can be," says Brooke, grabbing his hands. "But, if you spend it with people you care about, then at least it means something."

Lucas smiles at her. "You're exactly right."

He then proceeds to get down on one knee and pulls out a velvet box.

"Luke," says Brooke, her eyes widening.

"I love you Brooke Davis. I know we've had our problems but you are my world, everything that I am is because of you. You bring me happiness and I only wanna be with you, now and forever. Life is too short and I wanna spend whatever time I still have with you. Will you marry me?"

Brooke stares at him, stunned.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 35. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 36, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	36. How Do You Say Goodbye?

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 36!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Wow, I cannot believe how amazing this story is! 9,321 Hits and counting! I have been watching the new season of One Tree Hill and while I love it, I love my story more. It's good to see that my Brooke/Peyton is also being played out on TV and I promise you all that there is going to be some major drama there coming soon. In fact, I've planned out the next couple of chapters and if you think you've seen drama in this story in earlier chapters, just wait. Things are going to get even more dramatic! It is mind blowing how far I have come with this story and how amazing it has turned out. I thank each and every one of you for reading, reviewing, and following my story. It is greatly appreciated and means more to me than I am able to express.

Anyway, here's chapter 36. I hope you enjoy it!

Rivercourt-3:00

Nathan is there shooting some hoops.

First shot. Miss. Second shot. Make it. Third shot. Miss.

"And I thought you were the Raven's star player," says Chris, passing the ball to Nathan.

"What do you want Keller?" asks Nathan, grabbing the ball.

"Can't I just come by for a nice, friendly visit?" asks Chris, innocently.

"No," says Nathan, taking a shot and making it. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to come by and see how life without Haley is treating you," says Chris, as Nathan bounces the ball.

"Screw you," says Nathan, holding the ball.

"I'll pass on that, thanks," says Chris, being a smart ass.

Nathan glares at him, angrily.

"Did you hear Haley's moving to LA?" asks Chris.

"Yeah, I did," says Nathan, as matter of fact. "That's why I'm out here."

"Does that mean you're upset?" asks Chris, confused.

"No shit, Sherlock," says Nathan, bitterly. "It's just like last year. I'm losing her again."

"Do you still love her?" asks Chris, cutting to the chase.

"Of course I do," says Nathan.

"Then, why the hell haven't you admitted it to anyone yet, including yourself?" asks Chris, baffled.

"Haley broke my heart, that's why Keller," says Nathan, a bit annoyed. "When she came back, I was so hurt and so angry that I couldn't imagine ever being with her again."

"And how do you feel now?" asks Chris.

"I'm terrified at the thought of losing her again," says Nathan, taking a shot and missing.  
"Why do you even care, anyway?"

"Because I feel responsible for your break up," explains Chris. "And I've been determined to do everything in power to get you guys back together. But, because you've both been so stubborn about it, there's nothing I've been able to do. Until now, that is."

"What are you talking about?" asks Nathan.

"Go, find Haley and tell her how you feel," says Chris, encouragingly. "Before it's too late."

"After how things have been with she and I and because she's with Bryce now, she'll never wanna be with me again," says Nathan, sadly.

"Have faith, Nathan," says Chris, supportively. "If your love is truly meant to be, it will work out."

"You're right, Keller," says Nathan, heading off. "Thanks."

Chris smiles a self-satisfied smile.

Roe Home-3:45

Lucas is in his room, having just finished unpacking, when Karen walks in.

"It's good to have you home, Lucas," says Karen, smiling.

"It's good to be home, mom," says Lucas, as he gets up and hugs her.

"I'm so glad you're ok, mom," says Lucas, tightening the hug. "I was so scared of losing you. I love you mom."

"I love you too, Lucas," says Karen, as they break the hug.

"Haley will be over soon to say goodbye," says Lucas, trying to smile.

"You're really gonna miss her, aren't you?" asks Karen.

"Very much so," says Lucas, looking down.

Karen walks away, leaving Lucas with his thoughts.

Apartment

"And he asked me to marry him," says Brooke.

She and Haley are sitting on the couch and she is re-iterating the events of the previous day.

"Oh My God!" exclaims Haley, in shock. "What'd you say?"

"What'd I say?" asks Brooke, still reeling. "I was shocked, completely speechless. I didn't know what to say."

"How'd you leave things with him?" asks Haley.

"I told him I need some time to think about it," says Brooke, conflicted. "I don't know what I'm gonna do, Haley. I do love him but things been him and I are just getting back again. Besides, I'm too young for marriage."

"Brooke," says Haley, grabbing her hand. "Listen to your heart. All you need is what your heart says. That's how I decided to marry Nathan, my heart told me it was the right thing to do."

"Speaking of," says Brooke, changing the subject. "Are you gonna say goodbye to Nathan?"

"No," says Haley, firmly. "He's no longer part of my life."

"Ok," says Brooke.

Suddenly, there is a knock on the apartment door.

"That must be Bryce," says Haley, looking at her watch. "He's a little early to drive us to Karen's though."

Haley gets up and opens the door.

"Bryce, you're a little early…" starts Haley, who sees Peyton standing there. "Peyton."

"Hi," says Peyton. "Can I come in?"

"Not really," says Brooke, coming up behind Haley. "Skanky whores aren't allowed in our apartment."

"Can we just talk? Please?" pleads Peyton.

"Fine, whatever," says Brooke, as she rolls her eyes and Peyton enters the apartment.

Brooke and Haley sit on the couch and Peyton stands.

"So, what do you want?" asks Haley, impatiently.

"I just wanted to congratulate you Haley," says Peyton, genuinely. "Word of your moving to LA to record an album with Mr. Foster is all around school. That's great for you. I wish you the best of luck."

"Thanks," says Haley. "Is that all?"

"No," says Peyton, sitting down on one of the chairs. "I miss you guys. I'm so sorry for everything. I want us to be friends again."

"It's a little too late for that," says Brooke, sadistically. "You've screwed us both over one too many times to be forgiven."

"I know there are some hard feelings but I really think we could work through them," says Peyton, sounding sure.

"Not gonna happen," says Haley, crossing her arms. "You were a total bitch to the both of us. That cannot be forgiven."

"Yeah," says Brooke, feeling the same way. "You turned out to be just some whore we considered to be our friend."

"I knew you guys wouldn't be all that nice about it," says Peyton, near tears. "But, to see you like this. I don't know what to say."

"Just get out Peyton," says Haley, enraged. "Take your bullshit and shove it up your ass. I have enough on my plate at the moment."

"Yeah," says Brooke, furiously. "At this point, Haley and I have each other and that's all we'll ever need. We don't need you and we will never again. We don't have to deal with your shit and we won't. Just get your diva skank ass out of our apartment and stay the hell out of lives."

"Ok," says Peyton, getting up. She has single tears in her eyes. "I'll go."

Peyton walks out and Bryce walks in.

"Hey Bryce," says Haley, as she gets up and kisses him.

"Hey," says Bryce, as he closes the door. "Was that Peyton?"

"Yeah," says Brooke. "She wanted to reconcile but we turned her down."

"Oh, ok," says Bryce, not wanting to get involved. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah," says Haley. "My bags are in the bedroom."

"I'll go get them," says Bryce, heading into the bathroom.

"Can you believe Peyton?" asks Brooke, still angry. "She has some nerve."

"Yeah," says Haley, disgusted. "She really does."

Bryce walks into the living room with Haley's two suitcases and three mesh bags.

"Shall we go?" asks Bryce, trying to hold back his sadness.

"Yes, we shall," says Haley, as the three of them leave.

Jones Home

Liz and Jake are sitting on Liz's bed, having just finished watching "The Skeleton Key."

"Wow, that was some movie!" exclaims Liz. "Pretty freaky."

"Yeah," says Jake, holding Liz in his arms. "And that ending was so unexpected!"

"Yeah," says Liz, looking into his eyes. "I'm so lucky to have you. Peyton doesn't know how good she had it. But, hell, her loss is my gain."

Jake looks at her. "Absolutely. You're amazing, Liz."

They kiss.

In all honesty, Jake still has very strong feelings for Peyton but she has made it very clear numerous times that she wants nothing to do with him. Jake does like Liz and he hopes his feelings for Peyton will soon dissipate and his feelings for Liz will strengthen.

Roe Home-4:30

Bryce, Brooke, and Haley walk through the front door to find Karen and Lucas sitting in the living room. Bryce and Brooke join them on the couch.

"Hey guys," says Haley, trying to smile. Deep down, the thought of being away from the people she loves is so scary to her and saddens her so.

"Hey," says Lucas, solemnly.

There is an awkward silence.

"I know this is hard for everyone and I want you to know that I love you all very much," says Haley, holding back tears. "But, I don't know how to say goodbye."

Karen gets up and approaches Haley,

"Haley, you have been such a pleasure in so many ways. You're sweet, warm, loving, kind, and you have such a big heart. I watched and I've seen how much you've grown and matured over the years and I could not be any prouder of you," says Karen, single tears flowing. "You are like the daughter I never had. I know that you will do great in LA and you'll blow them away with your remarkable talent. I love you Haley."

"Oh, I love you too, Karen," says Haley, as they embrace. "Thank you for everything you've done for me over the years. It means so much to me."

They break the hug.

"Best of Luck Haley," says Karen, wiping away her tears. "I'll miss you."

Haley stands there, tears in her eyes, as Brooke approaches her.

"Haley," says Brooke, as she grabs Haley's hands. "All my life I searched for the one person I could call my best friend. Someone who I could always depend on no matter what happened. Someone I could turn to when times got hard, someone I could lean on for comfort and support, and someone I knew would be there for me forever. Haley, you are all of that and more. In you, I've found my confidant, my support system, and my true best friend. You and I have grown so close these months and it is so hard for me to imagine you not being there when I go to sleep tonight or when I wake up in the morning."

Tears are now flowing from Haley's eyes.

Brooke takes a deep breath and wipes away her now free flowing tears. "You have been so good to me and I honestly cannot fathom what my life would be like without you. I know that things may change, especially since you're moving to LA, but I am confident that you and I will forever remain best friends. Distance across an ocean or across the world won't keep us apart. I know you are going to be amazingly successful as a recording artist and I want you to know that I will always be here for you, no matter what path you may take in life. I love you Haley. You are my sister and I'm going to miss you like crazy."

They hug.

"I love you too," says Haley, through tears. "I will miss you so much as well."

Haley steps back to grab a hold of herself when she sees Lucas approach her.

"Hales," says Lucas, face full of sadness. "When I look back on my life, there is one thing that I've always been able to count on. And that thing is you, Haley. No matter what has happened in our lives we have always been there for each other. To support, encourage, and help each other. I always wondered how I got so lucky to meet you and I know it's because I was meant to meet you so I could find the type of friendship that I will cherish forever. Your friendship means so much to me and without you, I never would've been able to find true happiness." 

Haley's head is down and she is hysterical crying at this point.

Lucas takes a breath to compose himself and wipe away his tears. "Haley, when I think of you being in LA and not being here in Tree Hill, I feel this huge void in my heart as well in my life. You mean everything to me and I cannot thank you enough for always standing by me through everything. I love you Hales, you're the sister I never had, and I'm gonna miss you so much."

Lucas pulls a hysterical crying Haley in for a hug.

"Luke, I'm gonna miss you too," says Haley, choking back tears. "I love you too."

They break the hug and Haley stands there, her eyes rid to the rim from crying.

Brooke, Lucas, and Karen have tears flowing from their eyes and Bryce's eyes are watery.

"Haley," says Bryce, gently. "We have to go."

Haley takes a deep breath and looks at Karen, Brooke, and Lucas.

"I love you guys and I will call as soon as I land," says Haley, half smiling.

Bryce and Haley head towards the front door.

"Goodbye," says Haley, as she opens the door.

A teary-eyed Karen, Brooke, and Lucas wave goodbye as Haley closes the door behind her.

Tree Hill Airport-4:50

Bryce and Haley are in the airport, by Gate 15, the departure gate for Haley's flight. Bryce's arms are around her waist and her arms are around his neck.

"Flight 345 to New York leaving from Gate 15 now boarding," says a woman's voice coming over the loudspeaker.

"That's my flight," says Haley, looking around.

Bryce pulls her in for a hug.

"I love you Haley," says Bryce, looking directly into her eyes. "From the moment I met you, I knew there was something between us. Never in my life has one person ever made me so happy. You bring me more happiness than I have ever known in my life. I never knew it was possible to want to spend every waking moment with just one person. But, I guess it makes sense when that one person is the person who means the most to you and who you love with all your heart and all your soul. And Haley, for me, you're that person. You mean more to me than I can ever properly express and I am so grateful to have met you and to be with you."

At this point, tears are flowing from Haley's eyes and Bryce has single teardrops running down his cheek.

"I know you are going to be a tremendous success in LA and while times may seem hard, our love will keep us together. Distance may separate us but you will always be a part of me Haley. I love you with all my heart and all my soul and I am going to miss you tremendously."

Haley takes a deep breath. "Bryce, you are by far the best thing that has happened to me in the longest time. I was really scared when we first started this relationship but you are the gentlest, kindest, most caring, most loving, and sincerest guy I have ever met. I don't know how I got so lucky as to meet you but I feel like the luckiest girl on earth. All my life I searched for my soul mate, the one I was 'meant to be' with. In you, I have found everything I ever wanted and more. You are the most special person in my life and I love you with every fiber of my being."

They kiss passionately, one last time.

"I have to go," says Haley, picking up her carry on bag. "I love you."

"I love you too," says Bryce, watching Haley walk off. He has tears in his eyes.

Bryce's cell phone rings. He takes one last look at Haley and steps away to answer it.

"Haley, Haley!" cries Nathan, as he comes running towards Haley, who was just about to enter the gate.

"Nathan?" questions a confused Haley, turning around. "What are you doing here?"

"Please don't go," says Nathan, partially out of breath from running.

"What?" asks Haley, her eyes widening.

"I love you," says Nathan, bluntly.

"Nathan, I…" starts Haley.

"Haley," says Nathan, grabbing her hands. "I know that so much has happened with us and that you're with Bryce, but I love you so much and I cannot live another day without you. Please, stay, and let's be together."

"Nathan" says Haley, tears forming. "It's too late."

Nathan looks at her, crushed.

"I'm sorry, Nathan," says a teary eyed Haley, squeezing his hands. "But, I can't do this. I have a future waiting for me in LA and I'm with Bryce and we're in love. It's just too late for us. Too much has happened, we're obviously just not meant to be."

"Haley," pleads Nathan.

"Final boarding call for Flight 345 to New York," says the woman over the loudspeaker.

"I have to go, Nathan," says Haley, letting go of his hands. "I'm sorry but this is it. Goodbye."

Haley, tears flowing, walks away, and a now teary eyed Nathan watches her walk through the gate.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 36. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 37, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	37. New Surprises

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 37!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing, it's greatly appreciated! A few notes on plotline: I have absolutely heard everyone's comments on how there needs to be more Nathan and Haley and less Bryce and Haley. I haven't ignored your cries, they've been completely acknowledged, but I have plans for that whole storyline. The Haley and Bryce storyline is going to be coming to a screeching halt very soon and the Nathan and Haley storyline is going to be picking up speed very soon. There will be a mayorial election, and just like on the show, it will pin Dan against Karen. Major stuff will be happening in the Jules/Keith storyline, and the Peyton storyline will be majorly picking up speed and soon. The Haley in LA storyline will pretty much drive the rest of the story. Brooke and Lucas are gonna be pretty solid from here on out, but there will be a few road bumps along the way. I promise all of you that Chris will play a part, a relatively major part I might add, in the whole Nathan/Haley storyline. I know everyone thought he would come in right away, but it just didn't fit in properly. But, it will be coming in very soon. I truly hope you guys continue to enjoy this story! If you ever have any questions, comments, suggestions, or anything else, please feel free to e-mail me.

Anyway, enough of my jibber-jabber, here's chapter 37. I hope you enjoy it!

Monday

It is now the morning after Haley left. Everyone feels a little bit emptier inside and Brooke is still mulling Lucas's marriage proposal.

We pick up at Tree Hill High around 8:00 in the morning.

Brooke is walking through the courtyard, deep in thought.

"Hey Brooke," says Nathan, walking up to her.

"Oh, hey, Nathan," says Brooke, barely taking notice of him.

"You ok, Brooke?" asks Nathan, concerned. "You seemed a bit distracted."

"I just have a lot on my mind," says Brooke, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.

"About Lucas' proposal?" asks Nathan.

"Yeah, and other stuff as well, " says Brooke, looking directly at him. "Like Haley and what happened with you guys at the airport."

Nathan's eyes widen. "She told you about that?"

"Yes, she did," says Brooke, checking her watch. "When she landed last night, she called me and she was crying. How could you do that to her, Nathan?

"I know it wasn't the best timing, Brooke, but Haley had to know how I feel," says Nathan, looking down. "I even thought I could convince her to stay."

"For you?" scoffs Brooke. "That's a joke."

"Excuse me?" asks Nathan, offended.

"You've treated Haley like shit. Did you honestly think that she would give up her record deal and Bryce for you? Because if you did, you're even stupider than I thought."

"Woah, Brooke," says Nathan, defensively. "What's the matter with you?"

"I'm sorry Nathan," says Brooke, sincerely. "I'm just dealing with a lot at the moment. I didn't mean to take it out on you. I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's cool. No problem," says Nathan, understanding.

"I gotta go, talk to you later," says Brooke, walking off.

Nathan is standing there, thinking about Haley, when Jake and Liz approach him.

"Hey Nathan," says Jake, as Liz smiles.

"Hey, guys," says Nathan. "What's up?"

"Jake and I were sorta hoping you and Bevin would double date with us tonight," says Liz.

"That's really nice, guys, but Bevin and I aren't dating," says Nathan, as he sees them holding hands. "My heart lies elsewhere."

"Oh, ok," says Jake. "We'll talk to you later."

Jake ands Liz walk off.

Roe Home

Karen is sitting at the kitchen table and Andy comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her.

"I missed you so much," says Andy, hugging her from behind.

"And I missed you," says Karen, turning around to look at him. "I'm so sorry for everything that happened."

"Karen," says Andy, sitting down. "You've already apologized. Everything's good again."

Karen smiles. "So, what does that mean for our engagement?"

"I've given it a lot of thought," says Andy. "And I think we should postpone our engagement. I do love you and I do wanna marry you but I think it's much more important that we rebuild our relationship first."

"I agree," says Karen. "As long as I have you, I'm happy."

They kiss.

Tree Hill High-Lunch

Liz is standing at her locker when she turns to see Chris coming down the hall.

"Woah!" exclaims Liz. "Who are you?"

"Chris Keller," says Chris, admiring Liz's cleavage. "And who might you be?"

"Liz Jones," says Liz, extending her hand. "Nice to meet you."

Chris extends his hand. "Nice to meet you too."

Liz shakes his hand and then begins gently stroking it.

"You're giving Chris Keller goose bumps," says Chris, closing his eyes.

Liz gets closer to Chris.

"I was hoping I was giving you something else," says Liz, as she brings her hand down to his groin area. "Oh, I like the feel of that."

Chris moans slightly and then Liz pulls him in for a lustful kiss.

She pulls away.

"Call me," says Liz, as she pulls out a pen and writes her number on his hand.

She walks off.

Chris stands there, in ecstasy.

'Damn, she is hot,' thinks Chris, as he smiles a self-satisfied smile.

Tree Hill High-1:30-Courtyard

Brooke is sitting in the courtyard, waiting for Lucas.

Lucas walks out the door and approaches her.

"I got your text message Brooke," says Lucas. "What's up?"

"Please sit," says Brooke, nervously.

Lucas sits. "Brooke, what's going on?"

"Luke, when you proposed to me yesterday, I was beyond shocked. I think it was the biggest surprise I have ever received in my life. I didn't know what to do, what to say, or even how to feel."

"Brooke," starts Lucas.

"Luke, let me finish," says Brooke.

Lucas nods.

"So, I've given it a lot of thought and my answer is yes," says Brooke, half-smiling.

"Really?" asks Lucas, smile forming.

"Yes," says Brooke, smiling.

Lucas pulls Brooke in for a kiss.

Jules' Apartment

Jules opens the door to find Keith standing there.

"Hi, Keith," says Jules, half-smiling. "Thanks for coming. Please come in."

Keith enters and they sit on the couch in the living room.

"So, why'd you call?" asks Keith, curiously. "I didn't expect to hear from you again after the way we left things."

"Well, Josh told me what happened when you stopped by the other day," says Jules.

"Oh, he did?" asks Keith, surprised.

"Yeah," says Jules, calmly. "He was pretty upset. We got into an argument and we broke up because I told him I love you and wanna be with you."

"Really?" asks Keith, a smile forming.

"Yes, really," says Jules. "I know a lot's happened but I wanna be with you."

"Oh, Jules," says Keith, grabbing her hands. "I am so sorry for everything. I was just so scared of getting hurt again."

"It's ok, Keith, I understand," says Jules, smiling. "I love you."

"I love you too," says Keith, as he pulls her in for a passionate kiss.

Tree Hill High

Jake walks to his car and finds Liz waiting for him.

"Hey," says Jake, as they kiss.

"Hey," says Liz, smiling widely.

"What are you so happy about?" asks Jake, laughing.

"You know how we've been talking about a way to make our first time special?" asks Liz.

"Yeah," says Jake, confused.

"Well, I have an idea," says Liz, smiling.

"Hm?" asks Jake, listening intently.

"A ménage a trios!" exclaims Liz, happily.

"A what?" asks Jake, shocked.

"You know," says Liz, grinning. "A threesome. With Chris Keller."

"What?!" exclaims Jake, speechless.

"I met him today. He's so hot. Besides, I've always wanted to have a threesome and this'll make our first time special," says Liz, rubbing her hands on Jake's chest.

"No!" says a firm Jake, pushing her hands away. "Not only do I hate that bastard Chris Keller, but I am not into threesomes."

"Why not?" asks Liz, seductively. "They're so hot. Three bodies entangled. Heat. Passion. It's so hot."

"Because it's not as deep when it's three people," says Jake, repulsed the idea.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" asks Liz.

"I have one," says Jake, firmly. "But, not when it comes to sex."

"Fine, whatever," says Liz., rolling her eyes. "What a prude!"

"I'm a prude?" questions Jake, angrily. "I'm not a prude and neither are you. As a matter of fact, you're so far from a prude that you're a whore."

"Fuck you, Jake," says Liz, walking off.

"Bitch!" shouts Jake, calling after her.

Sawyer Home

Peyton walks into the house.

"Ellie, I'm home," calls Peyton, shutting the front door. "I hope you didn't eat all the cookies."

Peyton hangs up her jacket and walks into the living room, but doesn't see Ellie.

"Ellie?" calls Peyton, suspiciously. "Ellie, where are you?"

She walks into the kitchen and stops dead in her tracks when she sees a pale and frail Ellie passed out on the floor.

"Oh My God!" cries Peyton, rushing to Ellie's side.

"Ellie, Ellie!" cries Peyton, shaking her. "Wake up, please!"

A now crying Peyton runs to the phone and dials 911.

"911 Emergency, what's your emergency?" asks a woman's voice.

"My mom," says a crying Peyton, frantically. "She's passed out on the kitchen floor and she's pale and doesn't look well."

"Ok, miss," says the woman. "What's your address?"

"2561 Rover Street," says Peyton, looking at Ellie.

"An ambulance is on its way," says the woman.

"Thank you," says Peyton, as she frantically hangs up the phone and runs to Ellie's side.

She grabs Ellie's hand as tears are flowing freely from her eyes.

"I'm here, Ellie," says a hysterical Peyton. "Please be ok."

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 37. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 38, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	38. Spiraling Further Towards Insanity

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 38!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Keeping this short, I am glad everyone is enjoying this story. Please keep reading and reviewing, thank you!

Tree Hill Hospital-Tuesday-7:45A.M.

We enter Ellie's hospital room, room 318, and find Ellie sleeping and Peyton sitting by her bedside.

"I'm right here Ellie," says Peyton, holding her hand. "I'm not going anywhere."

Peyton leans back in the chair and Ellie's eyes open.

"Hi Peyton," says Ellie, weakly.

"Ellie?" questions Peyton, leaning forward. "Is that you?"

"Yes," says Ellie, sitting up.

Peyton gets up and pulls her into a big hug.

"I was so scared," says Peyton, tears forming. "I thought I was gonna lose you."

"I'm not going anywhere," says Ellie, wiping away Peyton's tears.

Peyton smiles. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know," says Ellie, shaking her head. "I just blacked out. Did the doctors say anything?"

"No," says Peyton, looking at her watch. "Not a word."

"You should get to school," says Ellie. "I don't want you to be late."

"No," says Peyton, leaning against Ellie. "I'm staying."

"Peyton," says Ellie, grabbing her face and making her look at her. "I'll be fine. Go to school. I'll see you later."

Peyton looks at her. "I love you Ellie."

"I love you too, Peyton," says Ellie, as they hug.

"Now, go," says Ellie, as they break the hug.

Peyton gets up and walks out.

Ellie lies back in her hospital bed. Is this really the end for her?

Roe Home-2:00

"Mom, Andy, Brooke and I have something we'd like to share with you," says Lucas, a bit nervously.

He and Brooke are in the living room with Karen and Andy.

Karen pauses, cup of coffee in her hand. "Brooke, you're not pregnant, are you?"

"No, I'm not," says Brooke, firmly.

Karen takes a breath. "Oh, Thank God!"

"Then, what is it?" asks Andy, curiously.

"We're engaged!" announces Brooke, as she shows them the ring. It's a 14-carrot ring with a gold band.

"Oh My God!" exclaims a smiling Karen, excited. "Congratulations!"

"This is great!" says Andy, also smiling.

Andy gets up and shakes hands with Lucas and hugs Brooke and Karen gets up and hugs Lucas and Karen.

"I'm very happy for you guys," says Andy.

Lucas has his arm around Brooke's waist.

"I am too," says Karen. "Just please, be careful you two. Love and engagement is great but be careful with the chemistry. We don't need history to repeat itself."

Brooke half-smiles. "We'll be careful."

They all sit down on the couch.

"Since we're talking about news, Karen and I have some news to share with you," says a smiling Andy, as he looks at a smiling Karen.

"What is it?" asks Lucas, as he and Brooke lean forward, hands entangled.

"Andy and I have decided to move in together," says Karen, happily.

"That's great," says Brooke, as she and Lucas smile.

"You ok with this, Lucas?" asks Andy.

"Absolutely," says Lucas, smiling. "That's great."

Karen smiles. "Andy's gonna bring his stuff over later tonight."

"Sounds good," says Lucas, as he and Brooke kiss.

"We're gonna go. Brooke's gonna come watch me practice at the Rivercourt before the game tonight. You guys are coming tonight, right?" asks Lucas.

"We wouldn't miss the Ravens' first home game for anything," says Karen, as she and Andy grab hands.

"Ok, then," says Lucas, as he and Brooke get up. "We'll see you later."

"Bye," says Brooke, as she and Lucas leave.

Jules' Apartment

Keith is sitting on the couch, with the television on. In the background, you can hear Jules throwing up in the bathroom.

"Jules, honey," calls Keith. "You ok?"

Jules walks out of the bathroom and into the living room with her hair in a ponytail. She is holding a towel in her hand.

"You ok?" asks Keith, concerned.

"Yeah," says Jules, wiping her mouth with the towel. "I've just been throwing up these past few days."

"Maybe it's because you slept with that Josh guy and your body's so repulsed by it," says Keith, laughing.

Jules goes and sits down on the coffee table, across from Keith.

"Keith," says Jules, grabbing his hands. "I'm pregnant."

"What?" asks Keith, pulling his hands back and standing up. "But, how is that possible? We haven't had sex in months."

Jules looks up and him and Keith's eyes widen and he sits back down.

"It's Josh's baby, isn't it?" asks Keith, eyes still wide.

"Yes," says Jules, solemnly.

"Wow!" says Keith, leaning back and rubbing his hands on his face. "How long have you known?"

"Only since this morning," says Jules. "I stopped by the doctor's office around 8 on my way to work. And he called me about an hour later."

"How far along are you?" asks Keith, still trying to take this all in.

"Seven days," says Jules, calmly.

Keith gets up from the couch and leans against the bathroom door.

"Are you ok?" asks Jules, turning around to look at him.

"Me?" asks Keith. "Oh, yeah, I'm great. I just found out my girlfriend is pregnant from her ex-boyfriend. I'm god damn fantastic."

"Keith," says Jules, getting up and talking to him.

Keith steps away from her.

"Why are you mad at me?" asks Jules, upset.

"How could you get pregnant from him?" asks Keith, raising his voice.

"How?" asks Jules, annoyed. "It's very simple, Keith. It's called sex."

"I know that," says Keith, frustrated. "But, pregnant, Jules. Pregnant?"

"I'm sorry Keith, but at the time, you and I were broken up and I was with Josh," says Jules, taking a deep breath. "What do you want me to say?"

"Didn't you use protection?" asks Keith, as a matter of fact.

"Of course, we both did," says Jules, looking at him. "But, you know as well as I do, that using protection doesn't always guarantee you won't get pregnant."

"You're right," says Keith, breathing deeply. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak out on you like that."

"It's ok," says Jules, as Keith approaches her.

"What are you going to do?" asks Keith, pulling her into a hug.

"I don't know," says Jules, looking up at him, tears forming in her eyes.

Keith tightens the hug. "I'm here for you no matter what you decide."

Jules leans against his chest, tears in her eyes. Would she be able to keep this baby? Or abort it?

Café-4:00

Andy and Karen are sitting at the counter, talking, when Deb enters.

"Hey Deb," says Karen, as Andy smiles.

"Hi, guys," says Deb, sounding worn out.

"What's wrong?" asks Andy.

"It's Dan," says Deb, sitting at one of the tables. "He's going crazy with this election stuff. Ad this, radio show that. It's ridiculous. And he's so overconfident since no one's running against him."

Karen looks at Andy and they both grin.

"What?" asks Deb, noticing their expressions.

"Karen has some news," says Andy, grinning.

Deb looks at Karen.

"Dan is no longer running unopposed," says Karen, looking directly at him. "I've decided to run against him."

"Are you serious?" asks Deb, hopefully.

"Yes," says Karen, firmly. "And Andy's gonna be my campaign manager."

"Oh, this is great!" exclaims Deb, as she gets up and hugs both Karen and Andy.

"We can't let Dan become mayor," says Andy.

"No, we cannot," says Deb, as she checks her watch. "I have to go now."

"Ok," says Karen. "Are you coming to the game later?"

"Absolutely," says Deb, getting up. "Wouldn't miss it."

"See you later," says Karen, as Deb leaves.

Karen turns to look at Andy. "Do you really think I can pull this off?"

"There's no doubt in my mind," says Andy, encouragingly. "You are the best candidate for mayor."

"I knew there was a reason I love you and we're moving into together," jokes Karen.

Andy pulls her into for a kiss.

Tree Hill-Gymnasium-Locker Room-6:00

"Ready for the first home game, Luke?" asks Nathan, taking a deep breath.

He, Lucas, and the rest of the team are in the locker room, preparing for the game.

"Yup," says Lucas, excited. "Let's keep that 4-0 record."

"We're gonna be on fire tonight," says Nathan, smiling. "This game is going to be…"

Tree Hill High-Gymnasium-Locker Room-7:30

"Atrocious," says Whitey, disgusted. "That's what that game was."

The team is gathered in the locker room, after a humiliating 35-10 loss to the Bear Creek Warriors.

"You guys played like complete shit," says Whitey, his voice rising. "You successfully shamed this whole school."

All the guys look down, in shame.

"And you," says an angry Whitey, walking up to Lucas. "What was with you tonight? You couldn't tell your ass from your elbow let alone make a shot or a pass."

"I'm sorry Coach," says Lucas, obviously upset.

"It's not me you have to apologize to," says Whitey, voice raised. "It's your teammates and your school."

Lucas looks down, obviously ashamed of himself and his performance in the game tonight.

"Now, hit the showers," says Whitey. "You guys stink!"

(Author's Note: I stole that last line from the show. Whitey said it during an episode from Season 3. Therefore, it does not belong to me.)

The guys head off and Nathan approaches Lucas.

"Hey, man," says Nathan. "What happened to you out there tonight?"

"I was just having an off night," lies Lucas.

"Oh, that's cool," says Nathan, nodding his head. "We all have those. Let's just hope it doesn't happen again."

"Yeah," says Lucas.

"See you later," says Nathan, as he heads off.

Lucas sits down on the bench. He knows why his performance was off tonight. It's his HCM medicine. It hinders physical performance. Damn it!

Lucas buries his head in his hands. What is he going to do?

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 38. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 39, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	39. The Calm Before The Storm

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 39!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Everyone's support is greatly appreciated! This story is coming out so amazingly and I still have big plans. Major drama is on the way. Stay tuned! And please keep reading and reviewing!

Tree Hill

It is currently Thursday, October 20, 2005, two days after the last chapter ended. Andy has moved in with Karen and Lucas, Ellie is still in the hospital, Karen and Andy have begun working on campaign strategy, Brooke and Lucas have begun to sort out the very beginning of their wedding plans, and Jules still hasn't made up her mind about the baby. Everyone is very excited because Haley is coming back to Tree Hill for the weekend. Friday is a Staff Development Day at the High School so no one has school the next day.

Café-1:30

Brooke. Lucas, and Karen are sitting at one of the tables, books spread out. Andy is behind the counter.

"So, the wedding guest list should come out to be around 150 to 200 people, at most," says Karen, checking her notes. "Do you guys have any idea around what time of year you'd like to get married?"

'How about the twelfth of never?' thinks Brooke.

"What do you think about December of next year?" Lucas asks Brooke. "Before Christmas of course."

"Yeah, sounds good," says Brooke, smiling through her teeth. "It's better to have cold guests than melting ones."

"Ok," says Karen, writing in her notebook. "Now, the next step is to go and look at Catering Hall's that can accommodate the date and then choose one."

"Do we do that?" asks Brooke, referring to herself and Lucas.

"Yes, and I'll come with you of course," says Karen, scribbling something in her notebook.

"Sounds good," says Brooke, fake smiling.

They divulge into discussion, while all anxiously awaiting for Haley to come home.

Tree Hill Airport-1:45

Bryce, wearing a black muscle shirt and black jeans with his hair spiked, is waiting at Gate 15, Haley's arrival gate, with a bouquet of flowers.

He looks through the crowd and sees Haley emerge. She is wearing blue jeans, a white blouse, and a gray sweater and has her carry on bag.

Haley spots him.

"Bryce!" calls Haley, running to him.

Bryce opens his arms and Haley, dropping her carry on bag on the floor, runs into them and he pulls her into a big hug.

"Oh Haley," says Bryce, arms tightly wrapped around her. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you like crazy," says Haley, as they break the hug and kiss passionately.

"And I certainly missed that," says Bryce, as they break the kiss and he hands her the flowers. "These are for you."

"Aw," says a smiling Haley, as she takes the flowers. "That's so sweet. Thank you."

"It's so great to see you," says Bryce, smiling from ear to ear. "You look great."

"I feel great," says Haley, as she looks Bryce up and down. "You look great yourself. I think you look even hotter than you did when I left. There better be no other girls hitting on you."

"My heart belongs to only you," says Bryce, as he pulls her in for another passionate kiss.

Everyone in the airport looks at them as they kiss.

"It really is great to see you," says Haley, as they break the kiss. "How is everyone?"

"Anxious to see you," says Bryce, looking around. "Any bags?"

"No, just my carry on," says Haley. "I have enough in there for the weekend."

Bryce wraps his arms around her. "Ready to go?"

"Absolutely," says a grinning Haley. "I love being back in your arms. I missed it to much."

"I did too," says Bryce, as they kiss.

Bryce picks up Haley's carry on bag. "Let's go."

Haley, still wrapped in his arms, smiles, as they walk off.

Café-2:15

Brooke, Lucas, and Karen are still in the process of working on wedding stuff and Andy is serving some customers.

The front door opens.

"Know any place I can get a good cup of coffee?" asks Haley, walking in.

Brooke, Lucas, and Karen turn around and smile widely as they see Haley.

"Haley!" cries Lucas, as he and Brooke run over to her.

They pull her into a big three-way hug.

"We missed you so much," says a thrilled Brooke, speaking for both herself and Lucas.

"I missed you guys too," says Haley, tightening the hug.

"Where's Bryce?" asks Lucas, as they break the hug.

"He had to run and do something," says Haley. "He'll be back in a few minutes."

"Hey miss rock star," says Karen, as she walks up to Haley.

"Oh, Karen," says Haley, as they hug. "It's so good to see you. I missed you."

"I missed you too," says Karen, not breaking the hug.

They break the hug.

"So, how's L.A.?" asks Brooke, as they head over to the counter.

"Amazing," says Haley, as she notices Andy. "Hey Andy."

"Hey Haley," says Andy, as he comes from around the counter and hugs her. "It's nice to see you again. Welcome Back!"

"Thanks," says Haley, as they break the hug. "It's nice to see you too."

Brooke, Lucas, and Haley sit at the counter while Andy and Karen go behind the counter.

"So, go on," says Lucas, excited. "Tell us about L.A."

"It's an amazing city," says Haley, unable to contain her excitement.

"Is it everything you thought it would be?" asks Brooke, happy for her friend.

"Everything and more. It is just so mind-blowing," says Haley, giddily. "I'm staying at the Four Seasons Hotel. It's humungous and so beautiful. And I have this fantastic suite. The recording studio is so big and modern and a great place to work. I haven't gotten to any songs yet but am just doing some work with Mr. Foster, who is a really nice guy, by the way. And everything about the city is just so fun and so beautiful. Restaurants, bars, clubs. It's also so new and exciting. "

"Wow!" says Lucas. "That sounds amazing."

"It is," says Haley, her smile fading a little. "But, I really missed you guys."

"We missed you too," says Brooke, as they hug.

"So, anyway, Karen, Andy, I heard about your moving in together. I think that's great," says Haley, turning to look at them.

"Thanks," says Andy, wrapping his arms around Karen.

"And Karen, I heard you're running for mayor. Congratulations!" says Haley, smiling. "I know you're gonna blow Dan right out of the water."

"Thanks," says a smiling Karen, as she and Andy head into the back.

"And Brooke, Lucas," says Haley, turning to look at them. "Congratulations on your engagement! I could not be happier for you."

"Thanks," says Lucas, putting his arm around Brooke.

"It's great," says Brooke, feigning her excitement.

"I spoke to Bryce on our way here and we'd like to go out to dinner with you guys tonight to celebrate," says Haley, smiling.

"Oh, that sounds great," says Brooke, smiling. "What time?"

"Around 7," says Haley.

"Ok, where do you wanna go?" asks Lucas.

"We were thinking of La Pallina," says Haley.

"Sounds good," says Brooke, half-smiling.

"How about we all meet at the apartment around 6:30ish and go together?" suggests Lucas.

"Sounds good. I'll tell Bryce," says Haley, seeing his car outside. "Speaking of, he's here. I'll see you guys tonight."

"Ok, bye," says Brooke, as Haley heads towards the door.

"Bye," says Lucas, as Haley walks out.

Rivercourt-3:00

Nathan is there, shooting some hoops. He is wearing a navy blue tank top and navy blue basketball shorts.

He takes a shot and makes it.

"I see you've been busy," says Haley, walking towards Nathan.

"What are you doing here, Haley?" asks Nathan, dribbling the ball.

"I'm back for the weekend," says Haley, nonchalantly.

"Well, that's great for you," says Nathan, taking a shot and making it.

"I go back on Sunday," says Haley. "Can I expect you at the airport telling me you love me and want me to stay moments before I board the plane?"

Nathan just looks at her. "Nice, Haley, nice."

"What do you want me to say, Nathan?" asks Haley. "You caught me completely off guard. How could you do that to me?"

"To you? Haley, I told you I loved you and I wanted to be with you. I didn't know that was something bad," says Nathan, annoyed.

"It is a bad thing when you know things between you and I are over, when you know I'm with Bryce, and when you know I'm flying to L.A. to begin a new life," says Haley, trying to make her point clear. "That was by far the last thing I ever expected, especially with the way things have been between us these lately."

"Damn it, Haley!" cries Nathan, raising his voice and throwing the ball to the side. "I know things between us are hard and complicated and weird but I love you and I always have. Your going to L.A. made me realize how much I regretted pushing you away and how I couldn't live without you. I came to the airport to tell you I loved you and wanted you to stay so we could be together. And what did you do? You turned me down and broke my heart."

"Too little, too late, Nathan!" yells Haley. "You had every chance in the world to tell me all that. You had months to tell me you loved me and still wanted to be with me. But, you didn't take any of those opportunities. So, I moved on. And in the process of moving on, I found a man I love and a new future in music. And what happens as I'm on the brink of getting it all? You come and tell me you love me and want me to stay so we can be together. Well, Nathan, it was just too little, too late. I've moved on to bigger and better things."

"Bryce isn't half the man I am," says Nathan, getting very close to Haley.

"You're right," says Haley, confidently. "He's more."

Nathan leans into kiss her but Haley slaps him.

"How Dare You!" cries Haley, outraged. "You have some god damn nerve! Did you not just hear what I said? There's nothing between us anymore and there never will be again. I'm with Bryce and I love him. Get that through your thick head!"

"Are you telling me you don't love me anymore?" asks Nathan, cockily.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you," says Haley, surprised by his question. "I'll be going now. I'm going out to dinner with my boyfriend Bryce and Brooke and Lucas to celebrate their engagement."

"That's great," says Nathan. "Just remember, though, Haley, that no one will ever love you as much as I do."

"Whatever," says a disgusted Haley, as she walks off.

Nathan takes a shot and makes it. He still has hope for him and Haley. No matter the odds.

Apartment-6:30

Brooke comes out of the bedroom, all dressed up. She is wearing a beautiful red dress, her hair is down, and she's wearing gold earrings.

"What do you think?" Brooke asks an equally dressed up Haley.

"You look gorgeous, Brooke," says Haley, smiling. She is sitting on the couch and is wearing a black dress, her hair is in a bun, and she's wearing silver earrings.

"Thank you," says Brooke, smiling. "You do too."

"I miss this," says Haley, sighing.

"I do, too," says Brooke, as she sits next to Haley on the couch. "It's feels really different here without you. It seems emptier somehow. I know it's only been a week but it feels like it's been months."

"I know the feeling," says Haley, nervously playing with her fingers. "Brooke, can I ask you a question? And do you promise to be really honest with me?"

"Of course," says Brooke, intrigued. "What is it?"

"Do you think I made a mistake by leaving?" asks Haley, seriously.

"Haley," says Brooke, gently. "I can't judge either way. This isn't my life nor is it my choice. You were given the most amazing opportunity to follow your dreams and if you felt you had to take it, then that was your choice to make. All that matters is that you're happy."

"Thanks Brooke," says Haley, smiling. "Speaking of happy, what's going on with you and Lucas?"

"What are you talking about?" asks Brooke, playing coy.

"Brooke," says Haley, looking directly at her. "I know something's up. I can tell you're not really happy. Tell me what's going on, level with me."

"Ok," says Brooke, turning to face her. "But, you have to promise not to say anything to anyone."

"Absolutely," says Haley, anxiously.

"You know I love Lucas, I honestly and truly do," says Brooke. "But, I just feel like everything with him and I has gone so fast and has been so rushed. I mean we just get back together and then he proposes to me. It just feels like there's too much pressure. I can't take all of it."

"Then, why did you say yes to his proposal?" asks Haley, confused.

"Because I knew that if I said no, that would be the end of our relationship. A relationship rarely survives a rejected proposal. Besides, I know how much Lucas loves me and I didn't wanna hurt him. I do wanna marry him one day but not right now," says Brooke, shaking her head. "I just don't know what to do."

"Brooke," says Haley. "You have to tell him. You cannot keep living like this. If you wanna slow things down, then you need to tell him."

"I can't," says Brooke, shrugging her shoulders. "It would break his heart and ruin our entire relationship."

"But, Brooke, you can't keep going on with this feigned happiness. It does no one any good," says Haley, trying to help Brooke. "You need to be honest with him."

"I can't," says Brooke, sheepishly. "I appreciate the advice and concern Haley, but I know what I have to do. And please, don't breathe a word of this to anyone. Dinner tonight is supposed to be a celebration, no one can know about this."

"If that's what you want Brooke, then you have my support as well as my promise to not say anything," says Haley, eyeing Brooke suspiciously.

"Thanks," says Brooke, smiling at Haley. "Oh, by the way, I meant to ask you. Did you talk to Nathan?"

"Yes, I spoke to him before at the Rivercourt," says Haley, trying to avoid the subject.

"And what happened?" asks Brooke, anxiously.

"I told him that he shouldn't have done what he did, that I have a new life with my music and Bryce, whom I'm in love with, and that he and I are over and have been for a while," says Haley, reiterating the events from a few hours ago. "Then, he tried to kiss me and I slapped him and got angry at the nerve on him. Then, as I was walking away, he told me no one would ever love me as much as he does. And that's it."

"Wow!" exclaims Brooke. "He tried to kiss you?"

"Yeah," says Haley, still a bit annoyed. "Can you imagine the nerve on him?"

"Do you think he got the message?" asks Brooke.

"I couldn't have been any clearer," says Haley. "Hopefully he'll just leave me alone. I have my music, Bryce, you, and Lucas. That's all I need."

Brooke smiles and then there is a knock at the apartment door.

"There's the guys," says Brooke, as she gets up to open the door and Haley follows her.

Brooke opens the door and standing there are Bryce and Lucas. Bryce is wearing a white button down shirt that shows the definition of muscles, black slacks, and his hair is spiked up.

Lucas is wearing a black button down and black slacks.

"Hey guys," says Brooke, as she ushers them inside and closes the door.

"Wow, you look beautiful Haley," says Bryce, in admiration.

"Thank you," says Haley, as they kiss. "You're not looking too bad yourself."

"And you, Brooke, are looking quite amazing in that dress," says Lucas, smiling.

"Thank you," says Brooke, as they kiss. "You look quite handsome yourself."

"We have a table waiting for us at La Pallina," Bryce tells everyone. "Shall we go?"

"Yes," says Brooke. "Let's go."

"Oh, and Lucas, Brooke, dinner is on me tonight. In honor of your engagement," says Bryce, smiling.

"Oh, Bryce, that's really nice of you but it's really not necessary," says Lucas, locking hands with Brooke.

"No, please, I insist. This is on me, in celebration of your engagement," says Bryce, firmly.

"Ok, if you insist," says Lucas, not wanting to argue. "Thank you."

"That's really sweet, thank you Bryce," says Brooke, smiling.

"It's my pleasure," says Bryce. "Besides, it's the only engagement gift I can actually afford."

Everyone laughs.

"Ok, well, let's go, so we're not late," says Haley, as she and Brooke grab their jackets.

Bryce and Haley lock arms as do Brooke and Lucas and they leave.

La Pallina-7:30

La Pallina is an elegant Italian restaurant. There are beautiful paintings on the wall, white drapes, and dim lighting.

Bryce, Haley, Brooke, and Lucas are seated at the table, in the midst of eating their main courses.

"This is a beautiful place," says Brooke, looking around.

"It is," says Bryce, smiling. "It's one of my favorites."

"Are there are good restaurants in L.A., Haley?" asks Lucas.

"Well, there's one I really like called Il Posto," says Haley, sipping her drink. "The food is great and it's not too pricey either."

"We should all go there one day," says Bryce.

"Absolutely," says Haley. "One weekend you guys can all fly out on the private jet and we'll spend the weekend together and go there."

"Sounds like a plan," says Lucas, as everyone smiles.

"It's such a shame you have to go back on Sunday," says Brooke, as she sips her Shirley Temple.

"I know, I wish I could stay longer," says Haley, frowning a little. "But, I have an insanely busy week coming up."

"It's so weird how you can miss so much when someone is gone," says Lucas, solemnly. "Going out to eat, talking, you never realize how much you miss it."

"Tell me about it," says Haley, visibly upset.

"Enough of this wallowing," says Bryce, trying to raise morale. "This is a celebration of Brooke and Lucas' engagement. And in honor of their engagement, I'd like to propose a toast."

Everyone raises their glasses.

"To Brooke and Lucas, may you find happiness together and may your love grow stronger each day. Never forget that the foundation for a good relationship as well as a good marriage is honesty, trust, and love. Congratulations, I wish you only the best!" says Bryce.

Everyone clinks their glasses together and then takes a sip from their glass.

Haley looks directly at Brooke, who is fake smiling, and Brooke looks at her, guiltily.

Apartment-9:00

Bryce and Haley enter the apartment.

They turn the lights on and Haley finds a big teddy bear on the chair in the living room.

"What's this?" asks Haley, as she walks over to look at the bear.

The bear is holding a heart that says 'I Love You' and Haley sees a card attached. 

Haley reads the card while Bryce stands there smiling.

"Dear Haley,

You mean everything to me. Having you home this weekend is the best gift I've ever gotten. I missed you like crazy and I love you with every ounce of my being.

Forever Loving You,

Bryce," reads Haley aloud.

"Aw," says Haley, near tears. "How'd you get this in here?"

"I asked Karen to drop it off," says Bryce, smiling.

"Well, Bryce, it is so sweet," says Haley, smiling. "I love it. Thank you."

Bryce walks up to her and pulls her into arms.

"You Haley James are the most special person in this world and I love you with all my heart," says Bryce, looking directly at her.

"I love you so much Bryce," says Haley, as they kiss passionately.

They break the kiss and Haley, still in Bryce's arms, looks at him.

"How did I get so lucky to find you?" asks Haley. "You are the most special guy I have ever met."

"We found each other, Haley. That's what soul mates are. Two people who, in the hustle and bustle of the world, find each other," says Bryce, sweetly.

"Well, I definitely know I've found my soul mate," says Haley, her eyes shining with happiness.

"And I've found mine," says Bryce, as they passionately kiss again.

They break the kiss.

"Your kisses are amazing Haley," says Bryce, smiling. "Gentle, sweet, and perfect. Just like you."

"We're perfect together," says Haley, as she hugs him.

"Wanna watch some TV?" asks Bryce, as they break the hug.

"Yeah, sure," says Haley, as they sit on the couch.

Bryce wraps his arms around her and turns the TV on, volume on low.

"Tonight was really nice," says Bryce, pulling Haley closer to him.

"It really was," says Haley, turning around to look at him. "That was really sweet of you to treat Brooke and Lucas to dinner in honor of their engagement. You've been really great to both of them and I cannot tell you how much that means to me."

"I know how much they mean to you. And because they're important to you, they're important to me," Bryce tells her. "Besides, they're really nice people."

They kiss.

"They make a good couple too. I'm sure they'll be happy when they get married," says Bryce, as they break the kiss and Haley lays her head on Bryce's chest.

"Yeah, if they get married," says Haley, under her breath.

"What was that?" asks Bryce.

"Uh, nothing," says Haley, covering.

"Is something wrong Haley?" asks Bryce, concerned.

"Not really, well, kinda," says Haley, stumbling. "It's very complicated. Let's just say that not everything is as perfect as it seems in the Brooke/Lucas world."

"What's up?" asks Bryce.

"I can't say," says Haley, biting her lip. "Brooke swore me to secrecy."

"Oh," says Bryce, understanding. "That's fine. I think it's really great that you're the type of person who respects Brooke enough to let her confide in you and not say anything about it."

"That's the type of person I am," says Haley, adjusting her position.

"And that's one of the reasons I love you so much," says Bryce, looking down at her.

"I love you too," says Haley, as they kiss.

"As long as everything is good between us, I'm happy," says Bryce, changing the channel on the TV.

Haley snuggles close to Bryce.

"Wow, Bryce," says Haley, happily. "I forget what an amazing feeling it is to lie in our arms. It feels like I'm on Cloud Nine."

"It's just as amazing to have you lying in them," says Bryce, smiling. "And if this is Cloud Nine, then I wanna come here more often."

"I wish we could stay like this forever," says Haley, lost in thought. "Just me and you lying here. Together. Nothing else. No school. No music. No L.A. Just me and you, together. "

"I wish we could too," says Bryce, a little bit upset.

"I hope you know that I really do love you," says Haley, looking up at him. "My going to L.A. and living there doesn't change any of that. You mean everything to me and are the most important person in my life. But, L.A. and this music contract was just something I could not pass up."

"I know," says Bryce, stroking her hair. "I understand that you couldn't pass it up. But, sometimes, it's just so hard to be without you. Because Haley, all I want is to be with you."

"I'm sorry if I'm hurting you," says Haley, sadly.

"The only way you could hurt me is if you weren't with me anymore," says Bryce, cracking a smile.

"But," starts Haley.

"No," says Bryce, cutting her off. "No but's. I have you and that's all I need. I love you and wanna be with you and that's all that matters. The rest we can figure out."

Haley looks directly at him and sees how sure he looks.

Without saying a word, Haley turns back to face the TV.

They just continue to enjoy lying together. All of the other stuff could wait till' another time. Right now, all that matters is that they have each other.

Author's Note: Ok, well, here's chapter 39. The longest one so far! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 40, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	40. Major Revelations

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 40!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Ok, everyone, here it is. This story has finally reached chapter 40! I cannot believe it, but, 40 chapters and 10,826 Hits (wow!) later, here we are. I honestly cannot fathom how far I have brought this story in the course of only a few short months nor can I fathom how amazingly it has turned out. I mean I have a very large number of loyal readers, 10,826 Hits, and I just cannot thank everyone enough for following my story and reading and reviewing! I feel like a writer of a television show and I cannot tell you what immense joy it brings me to post my chapters and see what a large of people read them and what positive feedback I get about them. The next few chapters are going to be filled with major drama, most likely the most seen in this story so far. Every, and I mean every, storyline ever touched upon in this story is going to be revisited and will also pick up speed. Some will end, some will come to screeching halts, and some will change and even interconnect. I know it sounds confusing but just remember that all of the storylines will be revisited soon. This chapter begins a series of events, which begins the most dramatic part of this story yet.

So, here's chapter 40. I hope you enjoy it!

Apartment-Friday Morning-9:00

Haley wakes up and finds that she is lying in Bryce's arms. The television is still on and she and Bryce are still both dressed up from the previous night.

'We must've fallen asleep,' thinks Haley.

She looks over at Bryce and just stares at him. He's everything she's ever wanted in a boyfriend: amazingly hot, sexy, funny, smart, sweet, gentle. What would she do without him?

Bryce wakes up. "Hey."

"Hey," says Haley, as they kiss.

"Did we fall asleep?" asks Bryce.

"Yeah," says Haley, as he pulls her in close. "Bryce, about last night…"

"Haley," says Bryce, cutting her off. "Let's just forget about it. It's not important."

"But, it is," protests Haley.

"All that's important is that we have each other," says Bryce, running his hands through her hair. "The rest we can figure out another time."

Haley smiles. "I love you."

"I love you too," says Bryce, as they kiss.

Bryce wraps his arms around Haley and they just lie together.

Jules' Apartment Building-11:00

Jules is walking up the stairs to her apartment with a bunch of packages in her hands.

Her cell phone rings and she reaches into her pocket to grab it.

Jules grabs a hold of her cell but her packages fall out of her hands and onto the landing below her.

"Oh, crap," says Jules, aloud. She puts her cell in one hand and begins walking down to the landing to grab the packages.

One of Jules' feet misses a step and she comes rolling down the stairs onto the same landing where her packages are.

Jules is lying there, unconscious.

Café-Noon

Brooke and Lucas are sitting at one the tables, working on wedding stuff.

"So, my mom spoke to the caterers on this list this morning and they faxed us over sample menus," says Lucas, handing her a pile of about ten menus. "So, I figured we'd look at them and then decide which caterer we're going to use."

"Sounds good," says Brooke, half-smiling.

"And then we have appointments at various Catering Halls over the next few weeks," says Lucas. "My mom and Andy are gonna come with us to check them out."

"Ok," says Brooke, looking over the menus. "And what about bands?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to handle bands?" asks Lucas, suspiciously.

Brooke looks at him.

"You didn't, did you?" asks Lucas.

Brooke shakes her head. "I'm sorry Luke but I've just been so overwhelmed with everything."

"It's ok," says Lucas, trying to keep his cool. "I took it upon myself to look up some bands and I have a list here."

He hands her the list and she looks at it.

Lucas sits there, reading over some of the wedding notes and looks at Brooke, wondering what's going on with her. It's her wedding too and she doesn't even seem interested in the planning. Something is up and he's going to figure out what it is.

Tree Hill Hospital-1:00

Jules is lying in her hospital bed, in room 345.

Keith comes running into the room.

"Oh, Jules!" says Keith, as he pulls her into a big hug. "Thank God you're ok!"

"I'm fine Keith," says Jules, calmly.

"What happened?" asks Keith, sitting next to her on the bed.

"I was coming home from the supermarket with my packages and my cell phone rang," explains Jules. "So, I pulled it out of my pocket and then all my groceries fell down to the landing. So, I forgot about my cell phone and went to collect my packages and as I was walking down the stairs, one of my feet missed a step and I came rolling down the stairs. Then, the next thing I remember is seeing my neighbor Anne standing next to me as I was taken into the ambulance. She called 911 when she heard me fall."

"I'll be forever grateful to her," says Keith, so relieved she is all right. "When I got that call from the hospital, my heart almost stopped. I was terrified at the thought of losing you."

"I'm right here Keith," says Jules, as they kiss.

A man of about thirty years old enters the room. He is about 5'8", he's slim, has black hair and green eyes, and is wearing a doctor's coat.

"Hello I'm Doctor Steve Jacobson," says Dr. Jacobson, introducing himself.

"I'm Keith Scott, Jules' boyfriend," says Keith, as he gets up and they shake hands.

"How are you feeling, Ms. Smith?" Dr. Jacobson asks Jules.

"Fine," says Jules, grabbing hands with Keith. "A little sore and a little tired."

"Ms. Smith," begins Dr. Jacobson, softly. "I have some bad news to tell you."

"What is it?" asks Jules, her eyes widening. "Oh My God! My baby!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Smith, but you lost the baby," says Dr. Jacobson, gently.

"NO!!" screams Jules, tears forming. "MY BABY!!"

"I'm so sorry," says Dr. Jacobson, sadly.

"How could this happen?" cries Jules, hysterically. "This can't be!"

Jules collapses in tears in Keith's arms.

Keith nods at Dr. Jacobson and he walks out of the room.

Keith pulls a hysterical Jules in closer to him. How are they going to deal with this?

Apartment-2:00

Bryce walks into the kitchen, with just a towel wrapped around his waist. The definition of his chest and muscles can clearly be seen.

"That shower was refreshing," says Bryce, smiling at Haley, who is making some lunch. "Care to join me in the bedroom?"

"Bryce!" cries a smirking Haley, turning around. "I thought we agreed we wouldn't have sex on any of my weekend visits home because it would just complicate things more."

"I know," says Bryce, solemnly. "But, it's been a long time."

"I know it has," says Haley, walking up to him and wrapping her arms around him.

She kisses him. "But, Bryce, having sex would only make the strain on our relationship even harder when I go back to LA on Sunday. I love you but I promise you that it will be worth the wait."

"I hope so," says Bryce, breaking away from her embrace and walking back towards the bedroom. "I'm gonna go get dressed and head on home."

"But, I'm making us lunch," says Haley, as a matter of fact.

"I'm not hungry," calls Bryce, as he closes the bedroom door.

Haley sighs. God, this is hard!

Tree Hill Hospital-Room 318-2:00

Peyton walks into Ellie's room, to find her eating some food.

"Hey," says Peyton, smiling.

"Hey Peyton," says Ellie, eating. "How are you?"

"I'm good," says Peyton, sitting in a chair next to Ellie's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Very good," says Ellie, smiling reassuringly at Peyton. "But, this hospital food tastes like shit."

They both laugh and Peyton looks down, worried.

"Don't worry about me, kiddo," says Ellie, looking directly at her. "The doctors said I only fainted because I forgot to take my allergy pills. The allergic reaction caused me to faint."

"Oh," says Peyton, sounding relieved. "I'm glad."

"See," says Ellie, lying. "I told you that there was nothing to worry about. I'm gonna be fine."

Peyton smiles.

"But, Peyton, we need to talk," says Ellie, putting her tray of food on the table next to her.

"What is it?" asks Peyton, worried.

"Do you remember two days ago when you came to visit me and I told you that you fell asleep for a few hours?" asks Ellie.

Peyton nods.

"Well, Peyton, what I didn't tell you was that while you were sleeping you called out 'Lucas, I love you,'" says Ellie, one hundred percent serious.

Peyton's eyes widen. "What?"

"Yes, and then at other times, you were just calling out his name in your sleep," says Ellie, noticing the shocked expression on Peyton's face. "I figured I should tell you in case you wanted to talk."

Peyton sits there, in shock and surprise, taking in what Ellie has just told her.

"Peyton," calls Ellie, causing Peyton to look at her. "Do you love Lucas?"

Peyton gets up and sits next to Ellie on her hospital bed.

"I don't know," says Peyton, obviously confused. "I know he and Brooke are together now and I haven't really seen or spoken to him in quite some time but I've really been thinking about him a lot lately. Me and him and how great it was when we were together."

"What about Jake?" asks Ellie.

"Honestly, I haven't really thought of Jake in a romantic way since we broke up. It's really Lucas that I've been thinking of in a romantic way," says Peyton, finally being honest with her feelings. "Ellie, I do think I might love him."

"What are you gonna do about it?" asks Ellie, her interest peeked.

"Nothing," says Peyton, a bit sadly. "There's nothing I can do. Lucas is with Brooke and they really love each other and from what I've heard, they're engaged now. Telling Lucas how I feel would create nothing but problems, especially with Brooke. And she already hates me as it is."

"Peyton," says Ellie, grabbing her hands. "If your feelings for Lucas, whether it's love or not, are as true as you make them sound, then you owe it to yourself to tell him. No matter what Brooke thinks. Don't you at least want the satisfaction of him knowing?"

Peyton sits there, deep in thought.

Apartment-8:00

Haley is sitting on the couch in the living room, watching some television. Bryce left a couple of hours ago. Since, she's been sitting on the couch, just enjoying a night in.

There is a knock at the door.

"Coming," calls Haley, as she gets up to answer it.

When she opens the door, she is surprised to see Nathan standing there. He is wearing a blue t-shirt and blue jeans.

"What are you doing here?" asks a disgusted Haley.

"I was hoping we could talk," says Nathan.

Haley thinks about it for a second. "Fine, come on in."

They sit at the counter.

"So, what do you wanna talk about?" asks Haley, anxious to get this over with.

"I just wanted to apologize for my self-righteous attitude yesterday," says Nathan, genuinely. "It really wasn't right of me. I understand where you're coming from and I'm sorry for how I acted."

Haley is just sitting there, staring at him.

"I want you to know I'm happy for you and I now understand that you're with Bryce and that you and I are really over," says Nathan, sincerely. "So, I'm sorry for everything and for causing you pain."

Nathan notices that Haley is just staring at him and hasn't said a word. "Haley, have you heard a thing I've said?"

Haley leans in and kisses him.

"Haley, what was that?" asks Nathan, taken aback.

"Just shut up and kiss me," says Haley.

Nathan, not needing to be told twice, gets up and pulls her into his arms.

They kiss passionately.

"Let's move this into the bedroom," says Haley, lustfully.

They kiss passionately again and head towards the bedroom, while tearing at each other's clothes.

Local Tree Hill Gym-8:30

Bryce is on the treadmill and is wearing a black tank top and black shorts.

Lucas walks by, on his way to lift some weights, and is wearing a gray tank top and black shorts.

"Hey Luke," calls Bryce, getting off the treadmill.

Lucas turns around. "Oh, hey Bryce. What's up?"

"Just getting in a little late night workout, how about you?" asks Bryce.

"Same, just gonna go do some weights," says Lucas.

"Mind if I join you?" asks Bryce, casually.

"Sure," says Lucas, as they head off.

They sit down on the bench next to each other.

Lucas picks up a fifty-pound weight and begins doing curls.

Bryce also picks up a fifty-pound weight and begins doing curls as well.

"So, Bryce, how are things with you and Haley?" asks Lucas, continuing with his curls.

"They're pretty good," says Bryce, as he does the curls with one hand and begins moving his other hand onto Lucas' leg.

Lucas, not noticing, focuses on his curls.

Bryce puts his weight down and puts his hand right on Lucas' leg.

"What the hell are you doing, man?" asks Lucas, letting go of his weight.

"Oh, Lucas, don't fight it," says Bryce, moving his hand further up Lucas' leg towards his groin area.

"Yo, bro, what the fuck are you doing?" asks Lucas, pushing Bryce's hand away.

"Don't fight it Lucas," says Bryce, lust in his eyes as he rubs his hand on Lucas' chest through his tank top. "You're hot, I'm hot, just let it happen."

"Woah!" exclaims an uncomfortable Lucas, getting up. "This is too weird. I'm not gay, Bryce."

"Neither am I," says Bryce, standing up. "I'm bisexual."

"You are?" asks a shocked Lucas, not believing his ears.

"Yeah," says Bryce, inching closer to Lucas. "And Haley hasn't been giving me any. So, I figured I'd get some from you, you hot stud."

"Bryce," says Lucas, backing away. "I'm not into this type of stuff. Not at all."

"Oh, Lucas," says Bryce, putting his hand on Lucas' shoulder and rubbing Lucas' biceps on his right shoulder. "Just let nature take its course."

Lucas pushes Bryce's hand away. "I'm not a fag. I don't do this stuff. So, back the fuck up."

"Ok, Lucas," says Bryce, stepping back. "You're right. This was wrong of me. I shouldn't have come onto you. I'm sorry. Please don't tell Haley, ok?"

"Sure, whatever," says Lucas, as Bryce walks off.

Lucas sits down on the bench, at a loss of words. His best friend's boyfriend had just hit on him. What the fuck was up with that?

Chris Keller, wearing a white t-shirt and blue mesh shorts, is seated at the other side of the room. He saw the whole thing with Bryce and Lucas, unbeknownst to either of them.

'Maybe this is finally the way to get Haley to dump Bryce and get back together with Nathan,' thinks Chris, as he smiles a self-satisfied smile.

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! Major revelations here! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on and lots more to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 41, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	41. Major Changes Part I

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 41!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: 12,161 Hits and counting! Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing and please keep doing so. It's greatly appreciated!

Apartment-Saturday Morning-9:00

Haley wakes up in her bed and turns over to find Nathan lying next to her.

A mortified Haley gets out of bed, quickly dresses in a blue blouse and blue jeans, and heads into the kitchen.

Finding a fresh pot of coffee already made, she pours herself a cup and sits at the counter.

What on earth has she done? She just cheated on Bryce. And by sleeping with Nathan nonetheless. What came over her last night? One minute she and Nathan were talking and the next they were having sex. Three times too. Nathan just looked so hot when he was talking to her, she couldn't hold back. And being with him felt so good and so right. But, what about Bryce?

Brooke walks through the door, with a cup of coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

"Hey Haley," says Brooke, walking in with the mail.

Haley rises from the counter and looks back towards the bedroom.

"I hope you weren't worried but I sent the night at Lucas's. I came home earlier to make some coffee but realized I forgot my cell phone by Lucas's. So, I made the coffee and went to Lucas's and stopped by Dunkin Donuts on my way home." says Brooke, looking through the mail. "I've been thinking a lot about what we spoke about the other night. Maybe you were right."

Brooke looks up to see Haley is looking towards the bedroom.

"Haley, is everything ok?" asks Brooke, concerned.

"Haley," calls a shirtless Nathan, opening the bedroom door and walking into the hallway. "Is there any coffee?"

Brooke sees a shirtless Nathan and her mouth drops open, in shock.

"Oh, hey Brooke," says Nathan, noticing her.

Brooke half-smiles, still in shock.

"Uh, yeah, there's coffee," says Haley, awkwardly, as she looks at Brooke. "Why don't you go get dressed?"

"Ok," says Nathan, as he smiles at Haley and walks back to the bedroom.

Haley turns around to see Brooke, who has a 'what did you do' look on her face.

"I know what you're gonna say," says Haley, sitting back at the counter. "I feel guilty enough as it is."

"Haley, you not only cheated on Bryce but you also did it by sleeping with Nathan," says Brooke, shocked by what she has just discovered. "Guilt doesn't even begin to cover it."

"I know what I did," snaps Haley, sipping her coffee.

Brooke sits at the counter, taken aback.

"I'm sorry Brooke," says Haley, guiltily. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's just, Brooke, I cheated on Bryce, the guy I supposedly love, with Nathan, the guy I was supposedly over. I just can't believe this. What's wrong with me?"

"Oh, Haley," says Brooke, grabbing her hands. "There's nothing wrong with you. Tell me what happened."

"I don't know," says Haley, shaking her head. "One minute Nathan was apologizing for how he acted at the Rivercourt the other day and the next I feel this insane attraction to him and we had sex. Three times."

"Wow!" exclaims Brooke, at a loss of words.

"What am I gonna…" starts Haley, as Nathan walks into the kitchen.

"Morning," says Nathan, as he kisses Haley on the cheek.

Haley gets up and they grab hands and walk over to the door.

"Do you still want coffee?" asks Haley, trying to avoid the subject. "I'll put some in a Styrofoam cup if you do."

"No thanks," says Nathan, grabbing his jacket off the couch. "I just realized that if I don't leave now, I'm gonna be late for breakfast with my mom at IHOP."

"Ok," says Haley, smiling awkwardly.

Brooke turns around to see what's going on.

"I had a really great time last night, Haley," says Nathan, grabbing her hand.

"I did too," says Haley, smiling widely.

"I'll call you later and we'll talk," says Nathan.

Haley nods as they kiss passionately.

"Bye," says Nathan, as he opens the door and walks out.

"Bye," says Haley, as she closes the door.

She turns around to see Brooke looking at her.

"Go ahead, tell me," says Haley, walking back over to the counter. "I'm a slut."

"I will do not such thing," says Brooke, firmly. "You're not a slut. You're just a girl who's in love with two great guys."

"I know," says Haley, sitting back down at the counter. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, honey," says Brooke, as Haley sighs.

Rivercourt-1:00

Nathan is there shooting some hoops.

"Hey Nathan," says Jake, as he and Lucas walk onto the court.

"Hey guys," says Nathan, taking a shot and making it.

"What's up?" asks Lucas, rebounding the ball and bouncing it back to Nathan.

"I spent the night with Haley," says a smiling Nathan, as he makes another shot.

"What?!" questions a shocked Jake, as he bounces the ball back to Nathan.

"Are you serious?" asks an equally as shocked Lucas.

"Yeah," says a smiling Nathan, holding the ball. "It was amazing."

"Wow," says Jake, trying to be supportive. "That's great. But, aren't she and Bryce together?"

"Well, they weren't together last night," says a happy Nathan, as he makes another shot.

"Guys, I have something I need to tell you," says Lucas, his face contorting with confusion.

"What is it?" asks Jake, as he rebounds the ball and bounces it back to Nathan.

"It's about Bryce," says Lucas, not sure how to say this.

They look at him, expectedly.

"What is it?" asks Nathan, holding the ball.

"Well, I was at the gym last night and he was there too. So, we started working out together and were doing some weights when he hit on me," says Lucas, trying not to stumble on his words.

"He hit on you?" asks Nathan, completely thrown off guard.

"Yes, he did," says Lucas, obviously disgusted.

"Holy Shit!" exclaims Jake, in total shock. "What is he gay or something?"

"He said he's bi," explains Lucas.

"Wow!" exclaims Nathan. "What exactly did he do?"

"He was touching me in a sexual way and tried to touch me in an appropriate place. And was saying things no straight guy says to another straight guy," says Lucas, shuddering at the thought. "He said Haley wasn't giving him any so he wanted to have sex with me. He called me a hot stud."

"Holy Fuck!" cries Nathan.

"This is some fucked up shit, man," says Jake, not believing his ears. "I can't even imagine how uncomfortable you felt."

"It was disgusting," says Lucas, getting goose bumps. "The thought that another guy was hitting on me made me want to hurl."

"I'd feel the same way," says Nathan, as Jake nods in agreement.

"So, what are you gonna do?" asks Jake. "Are you gonna tell Haley?"

"He asked me not to," says Lucas, uneasy. "She deserves to know, though."

"I agree," says Nathan, secretly hoping this is chance to get back with Haley. "This could help me and Haley finally get back together."

Lucas looks at Nathan. "Nate, listen, I know you love Haley and wanna be with her and I want you guys to be together again too but I don't think I can tell her. I don't wanna hurt her."

"I understand," says Nathan, nodding his head. "If things between she and I are meant to be work out, then they will."

He takes a shot and makes it. Do he and Haley finally have another chance to be together?

"Hey guys," says Lucas. "While we're on the subject, can I talk to you about something else?"

"Sure," says Nathan, grabbing the ball.

"What's up?" asks Jake.

"It's Brooke," says Lucas, obviously upset. "I really think there's something going on with her."

"What do you mean?" asks Jake, intrigued.

"How do you know?" asks Nathan, curiously.

"I don't know but Brooke hasn't seemed excited about any of the wedding plans we've made. Most brides-to-be are bending over backwards, no pun intended, to make plans and make everything exactly how they want. Brooke's barely lifted a finger and she doesn't even seem enthusiastic about the wedding. I really feel like she's been pulling away from me. She and I spent the night together last night and she seemed so distant. And I've been calling her for a couple of hours and she hasn't returned any of my calls," says Lucas, clearly unhappy. "Something's up and I don't know what."

"You need to talk to her, man," says Jake, supportively. "That's the only way you're gonna find out what's going on."

"Jake's right," says Nathan, in agreement. "You have to confront her directly about this. If you don't, it's gonna get bad and fast."

"You're right," says Lucas, smiling. "Thanks guys."

"Anytime," says Nathan, as Jake smiles.

"Oh, and Jake, how are things with you and Liz?" asks Lucas, grinning.

"Shaky," says Jake. "Very shaky."

"Why?" asks Lucas, concerned.

"What happened?" asks Nathan, also concerned.

"A couple of days ago, she proposed the idea of a ménage a trios with Chris Keller," says Jake, obviously annoyed. "We got into a big fight about that and since then, things have been pretty shaky."

"Wow!" exclaims Lucas. "A ménage a trios with Chris Keller. "

"Yup," says Jake, obviously repulsed by the idea.

"That's fucked up," says Nathan, feeling bad for Jake. It sucks when relationships are on the rocks.

"Tell me about it," says Jake, upset.

"I guess we all have girl problems," says Lucas, as they all chuckle lightly.

Nathan takes a shot and misses it.

They all stand there, deep in thought. What would happen next in all of their relationships?

Apartment-6:00

Haley, holding a letter in her right hand, opens the door to find Bryce there, also holding a letter.

"We need to talk," says Bryce, firmly, as he enters the apartment.

"Oh, please," says Haley, sarcastically, as she shuts the door. "Come right in."

"Do you love me?" asks Bryce, seriously.

"That's funny," says Haley. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" asks Bryce, angrily.

"I'm talking about the fact that you hit on my best friend," says Haley, angrily, as she shows him her letter. "I was tipped by an anonymous source."

"Oh, really?" questions Bryce, showing her his letter. "I was also tipped by an anonymous source that you slept with Nathan last night."

"Jealous?" asks an antagonistic Haley, crossing her arms. "Did you wanna get into his pants first?"

"Classy, Haley," says Bryce, making a face. "Really classy."

"At least I'm not a duplicitous closet case," says an enraged Haley, sadistically.

"Firstly," says Bryce, ticked off. "I am not gay, I'm bi. Besides, I'd rather be that than a deceitful whore."

"I never deceived you!" cries Haley. "If anyone was deceitful, it was you. You led me to believe you were straight."

**_"Your subtleties  
They strangle me  
I can't explain myself at all."_**

"And you led me to believe you were over Nathan," yells Bryce.

They both stand there, their blood boiling with anger.

**_"And all the wants  
And all the needs  
All I don't want to need at all."_**

"Why don't you go out and screw the first guy you see?" suggests Haley, vindictively. "Because, this relationship is over."

"You bet your ass it is," cries Bryce, knocking a lamp onto the floor. "I can't believe I ever loved a slut like you."

"And I am repulsed by the fact that I ever loved a moronic son of a bitch like you," cries Haley. "Get the fuck out of my apartment!"

"With pleasure," says Bryce, walking to the door and opening it. "Later, skank."

"Go fuck yourself!" yells Haley, as she closes the door.

She leans against the door, completely enraged.

**_"The walls start breathing  
My mind's unweaving  
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.  
A weight is lifted  
On this evening  
I give the final blow."_**

Haley walks into the living room.

She picks up the phone and dials a number.

"Hello? Yes, hi, this is Haley James. I work with Mr. Foster. Yes, um, he said I could redeem my return ticket to LA for whenever I'd like, right? Ok, what times do you have tonight? 8? Sounds good. Thank you," says Haley, as she hangs up.

Haley sits down on the couch. She was going back to LA tonight and wasn't coming back for a very long time.

**_"When darkness turns to light,  
It ends tonight  
It ends tonight."_**

Jones Home

Liz and Chris are lying together, naked, in her bed. They just finished having sex.

'And right now Haley and Bryce are probably breaking up,' thinks Chris. 'Courtesy of the anonymous notes I sent each of them telling of the others indiscretions.'

"Wow," says Liz, snapping Chris out of his thoughts. "That was amazing. You were incredible."

"You were pretty great yourself," says Chris, as they kiss passionately.

"Liz," calls Jake, walking up the stairs. "I gave everything a lot of thought and let's just put the whole Chris ménage a trios thing behind us. I want us to be happy."

He approaches her bedroom.

"What do you thin.." starts Jake, when he stops in his tracks as he sees Liz and Chris, naked and in bed together kissing.

**_"A falling star  
Least I fall alone.  
I can't explain what you can't explain.  
You're finding things that you didn't know."_**

"Oh My God!" cries Jake, reacting to the scene in front of him.

"Jake," calls Liz, as they break the kiss and she turns and sees him.

He runs out of the room.

Liz quickly puts on a robe and follows him.

She chases him down the stairs until they get outside, onto her front lawn.

"Jake, please," calls Liz, desperately. "Wait."

Jake turns around.

"What the hell do you want, Liz?" asks Jake, angry and upset.

"I'm sorry," says Liz, struggling to find her words. "But, Chris came by and then…well…one thing led to another and the next thing I knew we were having sex. I'm sorry Jake."

Jake just stares at her.

"Screw you and your apologies. I wouldn't agree to a ménage a trios with him and now I find you sleeping with him. That's so fucked up. We're done, Liz," says Jake, trying to contain his obvious frustration.

"Jake," calls Liz, upset. "Don't you have feelings for me?"

"I feel nothing for you anymore," says Jake, as he takes one last look at her.

**_"I look at you with such disdain."_**

He turns around and walks away.

Liz stands there in her robe, with single tears in her eyes.

Apartment-7:30

Haley is in the kitchen, having a drink.

There is a knock at the door.

"It's open," calls Haley.

The door opens and Nathan walks in.

"I came as soon as I could," says Nathan, as closes the door and takes notice of her bags. "What's going on? Why are your bags packed?"

"Nathan," says Haley, gently, as she walks up to him and grabs his hands. "I had honestly thought that I had gotten over you but I was proved wrong last night. Last night, when I felt our passion when we were making love, I realized I still love you. I've always loved you. In fact, I never stopped. But, we'd just been through so much that I wouldn't admit it to myself anymore."

She stops to wipe away her now flowing tears.

**_"The walls start breathing  
My mind's unweaving."_**

"Haley," says Nathan, near tears. "What are you saying?"

"I'm going back to LA, Nathan," says Haley, unable to hold back her tears. "And I'm not sure when I'm coming back. If at all."

"Wh..wha..what?" asks Nathan, all choked up.

"Nathan, tonight, I found out that Bryce is bisexual and hit on Lucas and we broke up. And that really hurt. It hurt like hell," says Haley, taking a deep breath.

"So, that means we can't be together?" asks Nathan, single tears threatening to spill. "I love you Haley."

Haley, tears flowing freely, squeezes his hands. "I love you too Nathan. With all my heart and all my soul. But, right now, I'm not ready for this. For any of this. I need some time alone. I need to sort out my feelings for you and for Bryce. I need to figure out what I want."

"But," starts Nathan, single tears now streaming down his face.

"I'm sorry Nathan," says Haley, through tears. "But, right now, I'm not ready for this. I'm not prepared to handle what this could potentially become. I'm sorry but I can't deal with this right now."

Haley pulls her hands back and picks up her carry on bag, one duffle bag, and one suitcase.

"I have to go. I called a cab to take me to the airport. I'm meeting Lucas and Brooke there to say goodbye," says Haley, taking a deep breath and opening the door.

"Haley," says Nathan, choking back his own tears. "Please, don't go. Stay with me. Let's be together. We can make this work. I love you."

"I love you too, Nathan," says Haley, wiping away his tears. "But, I'm not capable of handling any of this right now. This has just been one big emotional roller coaster and I'm all burned out. I need time. I'm sorry Nathan."

Haley grabs her bags and Nathan pulls her into a passionate kiss.

**_"A weight is lifted  
On this evening."_**

They break the kiss.

"Goodbye Nathan," says a crying Haley, as she walks out and closes the door behind her.

Nathan stands there, tears flowing freely now.

**_"I give the final blow."_**

Tree Hill Airport-7:55

"Final boarding call for Flight 345 for New York leaving from Gate 15," calls a woman's voice over the loudspeaker.

Brooke, Lucas, and Haley are all sitting silently.

"That's my flight guys," says Haley, trying to pull herself together.

Lucas and Brooke are both upset about the way Haley's weekend home has gone and how it's causing her to leave early and possibly never come back.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Bryce," says Lucas, solemnly, as Haley gets up.

"Oh, god, Luke," says Haley, as he stands up. "It's not your fault. It isn't anyone's fault. It just is. Don't blame yourself."

**_"When darkness turns to light  
It ends tonight,  
It ends tonight.  
Just a little insight won't make this right."_**

"You have to come back Haley," says a hysterical Brooke as she gets up. "I love you Haley. I need you."

"I love you too Brooke," says Haley, hot tears threatening to spew. "I love both of you very much. But, everything has just gotten to be too much. I can't deal with it all. I need time to sort it all out. I still may come back. One day."

**_"It's too late to fight  
It ends tonight,  
It ends tonight."_**

Brooke pulls Haley into a big hug.

"I'll always be here for you Haley," says Brooke, through tears. "You're my best friend and always will be. I love you so much."

"No matter where I am Brooke," says a now crying Haley, not breaking the hug. "You will always be my best friend. Nothing will ever change that. I love you too."

They break the hug.

"Luke," says Haley, tears flowing.

"Aw, Haley," says a choked up Lucas, as he pulls her into a hug. "I hope you find what you're looking for in LA. Remember, you always have a home here and you always have a best friend in me. I love you Hales."

"I'll always be here for you, Luke. I'll always be your best friend and you'll always be mine, no matter where life may take me. I love you," says a now hysterical Haley.

They break the hug.

"I have to go," says Haley, taking a deep breath.

Haley picks up her carry on bag and in tears, walks through the gate.

Lucas and Brooke watch her, both in tears.

"I need to be alone," says Brooke, walking off, in tears.

Lucas sits down, wiping away his tears.

Haley's gone and he's pretty much lost Brooke. What else could go wrong?

**_"Now I'm on my own side  
It's better than being on your side  
It's my fault when you're blind  
It's better that I see it through your eyes  
All these thoughts locked inside  
Now you're the first to know."_**

Lucas breaks down in tears, the airport empty. It's only him alone with his tears and sadness.

**_"When darkness turns to light  
It ends tonight,  
It ends tonight.  
Just a little insight won't make this right  
It's too late to fight  
It ends tonight,  
It ends."_**

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! Second longest one so far! That was some major drama! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 42, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!

Author's Note: The words that were italicized were the lyrics to "It Ends Tonight" by the All- American Rejects. The song as well as the words don't belong to me. I just included the lyrics because I thought they were appropriate for this chapter. I've never included lyrics in a chapter like this before. What'd you guys think?


	42. Major Changes Part II

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 42!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster also does not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 12,538 Hits! That is such an astounding number of Hits, thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing! Your support means so much to me! This story is being written at full force. Chapter 40 began the most dramatic part of this story and the drama is only going to continue and heighten. I still have major plans for this story, there is still so much more left to come. The tip of the dramatic iceberg has only been tipped and that iceberg will come crashing down throughout the rest of this story. Like I said previously, all storylines I've ever touched upon in this story will be revisited. They will pick up speed, change, and/or end. Be sure to look out for the interlocking of certain storylines. The drama is only to continue and it will get even more intense, that much I can promise you. The Bryce/Haley storyline has come to a screeching halt now and is pretty much over now that Bryce's bisexuality has been revealed and now that Haley has slept with Nathan. They both betrayed each other and the sting of that betrayal won't disappear so quickly nor so easily. I do see a Bryce/Haley confrontation in the future. The Nathan/Haley storyline is up in the air for right now. They aren't together but they do love each immensely. Haley just needs time to figure out what she wants and to be handle everything and sort everything out. Please continue enjoying the story! Feel free to e-mail me with any questions, comments, or suggestions you may have!

Anyway, here's chapter 42, I hope you enjoy it!

Roe Home-Sunday Afternoon-2:00

Karen and Andy are in the kitchen, talking. Tonight is the mayoral debate between Karen and Dan, so Andy is helping her prepare. The election is the following Tuesday and Karen's quite nervous.

"And no matter what question comes your way, you have to remain calm. The key to a debate is to come off confident. Even if the answer isn't the most sophisticated answer ever, you need to remain focused and confident," advises Andy. "When it comes to televised debates like this one, the voters are looking at how you come off. Body language and speaking well, clear, and in a calm, confident manner are key."

"Right, ok," says Karen, taking mental notes of everything Andy is telling her. "I really hope I do well tonight."

"I'm sure you will," says Andy, reassuringly. "I have no doubt in my mind that you will blow Dan right out of the water."

"I don't know," says Karen, sounding unsure. "Dan has the power, the money, and the prestige."

"But, Karen," says Andy, trying to lift her spirits. "You have your good name and the respect of the community. Can Dan say that?"

Karen considers this for a moment and smiles. "That's true."

"See, Karen," says Andy, smiling. "You have to think positive. The ads we've put out are just as good as the ads Dan's put out. It's an even race."

"What would I do without you?" asks Karen, smiling widely.

"Oh, suffer endlessly," says Andy, playfully.

Andy leans over and they kiss passionately.

Lucas walks into the kitchen and sees them kissing.

"Oh, sorry," says Lucas, grinning. "Should I come back?"

They break the kiss.

"Funny," says Karen, as Lucas grabs a can of Pepsi out of the refrigerator.

"How's the debate stuff coming?" asks Lucas, joining them at the kitchen table.

"Great," says Andy, as he grabs Karen's hands. "Your mom's well prepared."

"That's good," says Lucas, half smiling.

"How's Haley?" asks Karen, concerned. Lucas told her and Andy the whole story about what happened when Haley was home for the weekend with Bryce and Nathan.

"She's ok," says Lucas, sitting back and crossing his arms. "She's just really hurt and confused."

"It's definitely one of those situations," says Andy. "Haley has a lot to sort out."

"She does," says Lucas, sipping his soda. "I think she's hurt the most that Bryce lied to her about the fact he was bisexual. I mean they were going out for over a month and were pretty serious and he never even said anything."

"Maybe he loved her so much that he was afraid that if he told her, she'd break up with him," offers Andy.

"But, if he really did love her, wouldn't he trust her enough to understand?" challenges Lucas.

"You make a good point," says Karen.

"Who knows what was going on in his head," says Andy, shrugging his shoulders.

"And Haley is in shock that he hit on me the other night at the gym," says Lucas, scratching his head. "Hell, I was in shock too."

"I respect people's lifestyles," says Karen, rationally. "Gay, bisexual, straight. It's all a matter of personal preference. You can't help you're attracted to. But, he should've found another outlet for his desires."

"Your mom's right," says Andy, nodding his head. "It's a big no-no to hit on your girlfriend's best friend."

"Haley's just so confused," says Lucas, sighing slightly. "She told me that she honestly doesn't know what she wants or who she wants to be with. She's in love with Nathan and with Bryce, despite what he did. Feelings like that just don't go away so easily. But, how is she supposed to choose?"

"Haley's a smart girl," says Karen, reassuringly. "She needs time to find clarity and figure out what she wants. But, she will figure out whom she wants to be with. I'm sure of it.""

"Exactly," says Andy. "Predicaments like the one she's in aren't easy, but with time, she'll make her choice."

Lucas smiles. "Thanks."

"Lucas," says Karen, seriously. "I know that you're seventeen and have your own life and hardships and struggles, but I want you to know that I am always here for you to talk about whatever it may be about. Like we just did. Both Andy and I are here. "

"We're here for you, Luke," says Andy, smiling.

"Thanks guys," says Lucas, smiling, "I appreciate it."

"Oh, Lucas, by the way, how's Peyton?" asks Karen, suddenly remembering. "I haven't seen her in a while and we haven't really heard you mention her at all lately."

"I don't know, mom," says Lucas, guiltily. "I honestly haven't had much contact with Peyton at all lately."

"How come?" asks Andy, curiously.

"Brooke and Haley have both been at odds with Peyton lately. And since I'm dating Brooke and am best friends with Haley, I haven't really spoken to Peyton," says Lucas, looking down. "I know it wasn't really nice of me and I feel bad, but I know it would only cause problems with Brooke and Haley."

"Lucas," says Karen, looking directly at him. "Peyton's been a great friend to you over the years. You shouldn't just cut her out of your life because Brooke and Haley are having problems with her. Peyton's a sweet girl and she doesn't deserve that. Besides, if Brooke loves you as much as I think she does and if Haley cares about as much as I think she does, then they'll respect your decision."

Lucas sits there for a second, thinking.

"Your right, mom," says Lucas. "Thanks."

"Oh, and Lucas, Brooke never got back to us about the bands she wanted to audition," says Andy. "Did she make her choices yet?"

"I have no idea," says Lucas, sighing. "She hasn't returned any of my phone calls."

"Lucas," says Karen, concerned. "Is everything ok?"

"No, it's not," says Lucas, sounding a bit angry. "Brooke's been distant and has been pulling away from me lately and I don't know why. So, I'm meeting her at the café at 2:30 and I'm gonna find out what her problem is."

Lucas gets up and walks out of the bathroom.

"Trouble in paradise?" asks Andy, trying to lighten the mood.

"I don't know," says Karen, as she watches Lucas walk out of the front door.

She and Andy sit there and review some more debate stuff.

Tree Hill Hospital-2:15

Peyton is walking down the hall with a cup of coffee when she sees two nurses run into room 345, Ellie's hospital room.

She comes running down the hall and sees a man of about 5'9", 190 pounds, wearing a doctor's coat, standing over Ellie's bed. Peyton recognizes him and Dr. Roberts, the doctor she met previously.

"1, 2, 3, Clear!" calls Dr. Roberts, as he uses the crash carts paddles to try and revive Ellie for the third time.

Peyton jumps a little, in surprise, and stands there, confused as to what's happening.

Dr. Roberts puts the paddles back on the crash cart and looks at one of the nurses.

"Call it," says Dr. Roberts, as he glances at the clock. "Time of death, 2:17."

"NO!" cries Peyton, running over to Ellie's hospital bed.

"I'm sorry, Ms Sawyer, but Ms. Harp has passed away," says Dr. Roberts, sadly.

"ELLIE!" cries Peyton, tears flowing, as she collapses on top of Ellie's body. "NO!!"

Dr. Roberts and the nurses leave as a hysterical Peyton lies on top of Ellie's body.

Café-2:30

Lucas is behind the counter, anxiously waiting for Brooke to arrive.

Brooke walks through the door and approaches the door.

"Hey," says Brooke, smiling.

"Hi," says Lucas, a bit coldly.

"I got your message," says Brooke, sitting at the counter. "What do you wanna talk about?"

"I want to know what the hell has been going on with you lately," says Lucas, a bit angrily.

"What are you talking about?" asks Brooke, playing coy.

"Don't play dumb with me, Brooke," says Lucas, obviously angry. "You and I both know something's up. So, just tell me."

"I can't," says Brooke, biting her bottom lip.

"Why?" challenges Lucas. "Is there someone else?"

"How dare you even think that!" cries Brooke, outraged. "I would never cheat on you. I love you."

"Well, you have some way of showing it," says Lucas, vindictively. "Pulling away from me, not returning any of my calls, and not even being excited about our own wedding plans. That's some way of showing your love."

"Well, maybe I'm not happy," yells Brooke.

"You're what?" asks Lucas, a bit taken aback.

"You heard me," says Brooke, firmly. "I'm not happy."

"How long have you felt like this?" asks Lucas, his tone sullen.

"Since we got back together," says Brooke, quickly.

"What?" asks Lucas, not believing his ears. "You were the one who fought for us to get back together."

"I know," says Brooke, taking a deep breath. "I thought being with you would make me happy. But, honestly, since we got back together, there's been a little part of me that hasn't really been happy. And it only got worse when we got engaged."

"Then, why the fuck did you say yes to my proposal?" cries Lucas, angry. "If you were so unhappy, why agree to marry me?"

"First of all," says Brooke, her voice growing louder as she gets up. "I was never said I was 'so unhappy' as you put it. So, don't you dare put words in my mouth. And secondly, I knew if I said no to your proposal, you'd be hurt and our relationship would be over. A relationship rarely survives a rejected proposal and I didn't wanna hurt you."

"Well, that's what you fucking did!" yells Lucas, enraged. "These last few days, I knew something was up. But, I didn't know what. Do you know how painful it was to know that my fiancée, the woman I love, was pulling away from me?"

"I'm sorry Luke," says Brooke, calming down. "I just didn't know what to do."

"And you put on such a good act for a while too," says an angry Lucas, ranting. "You actually led me to believe you were truly happy."

"Hey!" cries Brooke, getting angry. "I never said I wasn't happy."

"But, you never said you were," retorts Lucas.

"What do you want me from me, huh?" asks Brooke, now angry.

"I want you to get the fuck out of here," says Lucas, sadistically. "This engagement as well as this relationship is over."

"Luke," says Brooke, gently. "I don't want that."

"Well, I do," cries Lucas. "I can't be with a deceitful bitch who caused me pain and isn't really happy with me anymore."

"Screw you!" cries Brooke, enraged, as she throws her engagement ring onto the counter. "Here's your ring. I thought we could work things out. But, I now see you're just a hateful, cruel son of a bitch. "

"Good," says Lucas, pointing to the door. "Now, get your diva skank ass out of here and don't ever talk to me again."

"You're a jerk off," calls Brooke, as she leaves.

Lucas picks up the ring and holds it in his hand while standing at the counter and letting everything sink in.

Roe Home-8:00

Karen and Andy come walking through the front door.

"You were amazing at the debate, Karen," says Andy, smiling.

"I had a great coach," says Karen, as she kisses him.

"You're amazing," says Andy, as he pulls her into his arms. "I love you."

"I love you too," says Karen, as they kiss.

"Wanna go out to dinner and celebrate your victory?" asks Andy, as they break the kiss.

"Let's stay in and celebrate," says Karen, as she pulls Andy into a passionate kiss.

They head towards the bedroom.

Sawyer Home-8:30

A disheveled Peyton, eyes red from crying, is sitting in the living room on the couch. Seven pill bottles are spread out on the coffee table in front of her. About thirty-five pills, each a different type, are lying on the table. There's also a glass of water on the table.

"I have nothing to live for anymore," says Peyton, as she grabs a hand full of pills and takes them with water.

"My best friends are gone," says Peyton, as she grabs another hand full of pills and takes them with water.

"And so are all the other people I love," says Peyton, as she grabs the last hand full and takes them with water.

"At least I'll be with my moms now," says Peyton, as she lies down on the couch and waits for her end to come.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-10:00

Brooke is standing in front of room 431 with three suitcases and two duffle bags.

She knocks on the door.

"Coming," calls a voice from the other side of the door.

The door opens and there is Haley, dressed in her clothes for bed.

"Hey Haley," says Brooke, smiling.

Haley stands there, a look of shock on her face.

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! Major stuff going on! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 43, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	43. The Effects of These Major Changes

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 43!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster and Kelly Clarkson also do not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Keeping this short, please keep reading and reviewing. It's greatly appreciated!

Monday Morning-9:00-Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431

Haley's suite is very luxurious. It has a spacious and modern kitchen with all marble tile and cabinets, spacious living room equipped with a fireplace and terrace, two full master bedrooms, each with their own bathrooms. Each bathroom is spacious and modern with all marble floors and cabinets. There are also marble showers and Jacuzzis. The kitchen has a beautiful marble table with four places.

Brooke wakes up in one of the bedrooms and sits up, forgetting where she is for a second. The events of the previous evening come flying back to her. Fighting with Lucas. Breaking up. Flying to L.A.

She gets out of her bed, wearing pink pajamas, and walks out of the bedroom.

Brooke walks straight and finds Haley in the kitchen. She is wearing a blue blouse and blue jeans with a gray sweater and her hair is up in a bun.

"Morning Brooke," says Haley, as Brooke joins her at the table. "I ordered us breakfast. I think I was your roommate long enough to know that you like scrambled eggs with a side of white toast and coffee for breakfast."

"Thanks Haley," says Brooke, smiling at the food in front of her. "It looks delicious."

Haley smiles as a hungry Brooke begins eating.

"So, Brooke," says Haley, as she sits back, cup of coffee in her hand. "You showed up late last night, completely out of the blue, upset, and wanting to stay here. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to see you and to have you here, but what's going on?"

"I'd really rather not talk about it," says Brooke, quietly, as she continues eating.

"Does it have anything to do with why you're not wearing your engagement ring?" asks Haley, taking notice of Brooke's bare ring finger.

Brooke looks at her, silently.

"Or why Lucas called?" asks Haley, trying to get Brooke to open up.

"He did?" asks Brooke, stopping eating. "When?"

"About an hour ago," says Haley, taking another sip of her coffee. "What happened Brooke?"

"Didn't Lucas tell you?" asks Brooke, trying to avoid the subject.

"He just said you guys had a fight," says Haley, as she picks up the coffee pot off the table and refills her cup. "Refill?"

"No, I'm good, thanks," says Brooke, as she takes a bite of her toast.

"So, what happened Brooke?" asks Haley, concerned. "I don't remember the last time I saw you as upset as you were last night."

"Yesterday at the café, Lucas confronted me about the whole thing we spoke about the other day," says Brooke, leaning back, putting her leg on the chair, and sipping her coffee. "It got pretty ugly."

"Oh god," says Haley, her eyes widening. "That sounds bad."

"It was," says Brooke, looking into her coffee cup. "Haley, there's something I never told you."

"What is it?" asks Haley, worried.

"Well, Haley, you know I love Lucas, I honestly do. But, ever since he and I got back together, there's a part of me that hasn't been truly happy," says Brooke, playing with her fingers. "And that's what I told him when he asked me why I was being so distant and pulling away from him."

"Oh, wow," says Haley, a bit taken aback. "I had no idea."

"It was something I really tried to avoid and not think about it," says Brooke, explaining. "But, as time went on, it just became harder and harder."

"But, Brooke, aren't you the one who fought to get back together with Lucas?" asks Haley, confused.

"I am," says Brooke, sipping her coffee. "I thought it would make me happy but I was wrong."

"Lucas must've been crushed when you told him this," says Haley, sympathetically.

"He was," says Brooke, remembering. "I don't think I ever saw him so angry and upset before."

"So, then what happened?" asks Haley, anxious to hear the rest.

"We exchanged some not very pleasant words and he said our engagement and our relationship were over. I threw his engagement ring on the counter and then more unpleasant words were exchanged and I left," says Brooke, sadly. "And that was it. We broke up. It's over."

"Aw, Brooke," says Haley, as she grabs Brooke's hands. "I am so sorry."

"Thanks," says Brooke, obviously upset. "I'm sorry for imposing on you Haley. But, after the fight, I just really needed to see my best friend. So, I took the first flight I could get and came here."

"You're not imposing Brooke," says Haley, smiling. "You're welcome here anytime. My house is your house."

"Thanks," says Brooke, smiling, as she gets up. "Well, I should go get dressed. I wanna go out and explore since I've never been in L.A."

"Uh, Brooke," calls Haley." What about school?"

"It won't kill me to miss a few days," calls Brooke, as she heads back into the bedroom.

Haley sits at the table. Could Brooke and Lucas work things out or was this truly the end for them?

Cafe -9:00

"And that was it," says Lucas, reiterating the events of what happened the previous evening with Brooke to Nathan and Jake.

They are all sitting at the counter.

"So, that's it?" asks Jake.

"Yeah, Brooke and I are through," says Lucas, firmly.

"You ok, man?" asks Nathan, concerned.

"I'm ok," says Lucas, trying to be strong. "It's not easy but I do my best. I'm just glad we didn't have to go in to school today to take the PSAT's. It's a nice day off to just get through everything."

"Do you wanna be with Brooke anymore?" asks Jake, curiously.

"I honestly don't know," says Lucas, sounding unsure. "I just don't know anymore."

"You gonna be ok tonight for the game tomorrow night?" asks Nathan, concerned. "We're gonna need you out there on the court tomorrow night to help us win our second home game and kick the Water Mill Diamond's asses."

"Yeah," says Lucas, cracking a smile. "It'll be a good way for me to channel my energy."

Lucas turns to look at Jake.

"Jake, did you ever reconsider rejoining the Ravens?" asks Lucas. "We miss you out there."

"I have," says Jake, looking down. "But, I've lost my daughter and the woman I love over the past few months. I need to finish putting my life back in order before I can join the Ravens again."

Lucas and Nathan nod, in understanding.

Karen walks from the back with the café's portable phone.

"Lucas," says Karen, handing it to you. "It's for you."

Lucas takes the phone. "Hello? Yes, this is he. What? Oh My God! When did this happen? Ok, I'm on my way. Thank you, goodbye."

He hangs up the phone and puts it on the counter. His expression is one of shock and pain.

"Lucas," asks Karen, worried. "What's wrong? Who was that?"

"It was the hospital," says Lucas, still in shock. "Peyton was admitted early this morning. The doctors say she overdosed and mixed things she shouldn't have."

"Oh My God!" cries Jake, obviously upset. "Can we go see her?"

"Yeah," says a stone-faced Lucas, getting up. "Let's go."

Lucas, Nathan, and Jake get up and head toward the door.

"Lucas," calls a concerned Karen, as he turns around. "Please tell me what happens."

"Ok," says Lucas, as he leaves.

Los Angeles-9:30

Brooke, wearing a red blouse and blue jeans with a denim jacket, is walking down Rodeo Drive. Rodeo Drive, located in Beverly Hills, is one of the most celebrated and exclusive shopping streets in the world where you'll find Italian designer boutiques, the best in French fashion and world-class jewelers. It is a beautiful Los Angeles day. The sun is shining, there's a light breeze, and it is around sixty degrees.

"What a beautiful day!" exclaims Brooke, as she walks by the famous jewelry store Cartier.

"These stores are amazing. Glad I decided to come to L.A., there's no better place for shopping than Rodeo Drive."

She smiles as she looks through her bag. "Glad I have a high credit limit on my credit card. Because I am going to shop till' I drop."

She approaches a Gucci store with every intention of going in and shopping to get her mind off of her problems.

She reaches to open the door when her cell phone rings.

"Hello?" asks Brooke, answering her phone. "Oh, hey Karen."

Brooke steps out of the way to let a woman through.

"What?" exclaims Brooke, her eyes widening. "How bad is it? Ok, please call me. Thanks. Bye."

Brooke hangs up her cell phone and stands there.

Peyton's in the hospital and it's pretty bad. She may not be Peyton's biggest fan at the moment but she certainly doesn't want anything to happen to her. Despite everything, Brooke still cares about Peyton.

She enters the Gucci store, her mind wandering.

Tree Hill Hospital-Room 415-10:00

We enter Peyton's hospital room, room 415, to find Peyton lying unconscious in her hospital bed. A worried Jake and Nathan are seated in the chairs next to the hospital bed.

Lucas walks into the room.

"Hey," says a concerned Jake, looking at Lucas. "What'd the doctor say?"

Lucas sits down next to them.

"Apparently, Peyton overdosed and mixed some medications she shouldn't have. If one of her neighbors wouldn't have found her, the doctor said she would've died," explains Lucas.

"But, she's ok?" asks Nathan.

"Yeah," says Lucas, looking helplessly at Peyton. "They had to pump her stomach but she's gonna be fine. She'll just feel some after affects of the overdosing."

"Oh, phew!" says Jake, relieved.

"This is all my fault," says Lucas, guiltily. "I never should've pulled away from her just because she and Haley and Brooke were having problems. I should've seen she needed me."

"Luke," says Nathan, looking directly at him. "This isn't your fault."

"He's right," says Jake, sounding just as guilty. "This isn't your fault, it's mine. It was my betrayal. I killed her spirit, broke her heart. She was never the same."

"Guys," says Nathan, rationally. "This is no one's fault. Problems in her life were no one's fault. You can't blame yourselves."

The guys sit there, Lucas and Jake still feeling guilty.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431-2:30

Haley enters the suite to find Brooke sitting at the kitchen table, can of Mountain Dew in hand.

"Hey," says Haley, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a can of Pepsi from the fridge. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," says Brooke, picking at her French fries. "I hope you don't mind but I ordered myself lunch."

"No, of course not," says Haley, joining her at the table. "I got something to eat while I was out."

"How was your day?" asks Brooke, interested.

"Amazing," says Haley, smiling widely. "Mr. Foster and I worked on some vocals. And Brooke, I met Kelly Clarkson."

"American Idol winner from season one Kelly Clarkson?" asks Brooke, not believing her ears.

A smiling Haley nods.

"Oh My God!" cries Brooke, excited. "I can't believe this!"

"Yeah, she was in the studio working on some songs and Mr. Foster introduced me to her," says Haley, obviously excited. "He actually said I have the potential to be the next Kelly Clarkson."

"Wow," says Brooke, amazed. "That's quite a compliment. She's an amazing artist."

"Yeah," says Haley, still smiling. "She was really nice too. Very sweet and welcoming."

"That's amazing," says Brooke, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"What'd you do today?" asks Haley, quizzically, as she sips her soda.

"I went to Rodeo Drive," says Brooke, leaning back in her chair.

"Oh, it's amazing there, isn't it?" asks Haley, smiling.

"Yeah," says Brooke, cracking a smile. "So many amazing stores in such a small area."

"Brooke," says Haley, noticing she's a bit distracted. "Is everything ok? You seem distracted."

"I got a call from Karen earlier," says Brooke, looking down. "Peyton's in the hospital."

"Oh," says Haley, a bit shocked. "Is she ok?"

"I don't know," says Brooke, all choked up. "All Karen said was that she mixed some medicines and overdosed."

"Oh god," says Haley, biting her lip.

Brooke begins crying.

"Brooke," calls Haley. "What's wrong?"

"I'm so worried about Peyton," says Brooke, tears flowing. "If anything were to happen to her, I'd never forgive myself."

"Forgive yourself?" asks Haley, confused.

"For pushing her away. We both did. I still love Peyton, despite how angry I am," says Brooke, wiping away her tears. "I would never forgive myself if she god forbid died with her and I at odds."

"Oh, Brooke, knock on wood," says Haley, tapping her hand on the table. "I love Peyton too.

But, she'll be fine. If anything, Peyton is a fighter."

"It was our cold, cruel rejection that caused this," says Brooke, hot tears threatening to spew.

"Brooke," says Haley, holding back her own tears. "We had our reasons for that. I too don't want anything to happen to her. But, we have to have faith that she'll be ok."

Brooke looks on, wordless.

Haley leans in and pulls her into a hug, her own tears dripping down her cheek.

"What's that?" asks Brooke, noticing a Manila envelope addressed to Haley on the kitchen counter.

"What's what?" asks Haley, as they break the hug.

"That," says Brooke, pointing to the envelope.

"Oh," says Haley, turning around to look at it. "I got it with my mail this morning."

Brooke looks at her expectantly. "What's in it?"

"It's some papers from my lawyer about the divorce," says Haley, trailing off.

"You and Nathan are still getting divorced?" asks Brooke, surprised.

"Yes, no, I don't know," says Haley, obviously unsure. "When I spoke to my lawyer a month ago about the divorce, everything was fine. He said Nathan and I would have to be separated for a year before filing. But, now, it's only like a month later and so much has happened. I just don't know anymore."

"Don't you love Nathan?" asks Brooke, confused.

"I do," says Haley, her voice a bit low. "I honestly and truly do. But, after the whole thing with Bryce, I'm just not ready for any of this right now. Bryce hurt me so bad. I honestly loved him with all my heart. He was so amazing to me, but when I found out that he deceived me all along about being bi and then when I found out he hit on Lucas, I was crushed. He really hurt me, Brooke. My heart was broken yet again."

"Aw, Haley," says Brooke, grabbing her hands. "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," says Haley, smiling slightly. "It's just so hard. I still love him Brooke."

"Who?" asks Brooke, trying to keep up. "Bryce?"

"Yes," says Haley, dejectedly. "I know he deceived me and hurt me and I'm so angry at him for that but I can't help the fact that I still love him."

"Haley," says Brooke, rationally. "Feelings don't always go away so easily, if at all. Especially feelings of love. There's nothing wrong with the fact that you still love Bryce. Feelings like that don't just disappear in the blink of an eye. Despite how much we may want them to."

"He hurt me so bad though, Brooke," says Haley, tears forming in her ears. "I was finally happy again. And he broke my heart. How could he do that?"

"Come here," says Brooke, as she pulls a now hysterical Haley into a hug.

She knows how heartbreak feels. Hearts don't heal easily and neither do wounds.

Tree Hill Hospital-3:00

Jake and Lucas enter Peyton's hospital room, to find her sitting up, watching television. Jake is carrying a bouquet of flowers.

"Hey," says Lucas, as they approach her bed.

"Hi," says Peyton, smiling weakly.

"These are for you," says Jake, handing her the flowers.

"They're beautiful," says Peyton, as she puts them on the bedside table. "Thank you."

"Nathan couldn't make it," says Lucas, awkwardly. "He had something to do with his mom but he sends his well wishes and wants you to know that he's glad you're ok."

Peyton smiles. "Thanks."

"Peyton," says Jake, as he and Lucas sit in the chair next to Peyton's bed. "Tell us what happened. Why would you try to end your life?"

"I lost everything I ever cared about," says Peyton, sighing. "Brooke, Haley, my mom, you two, and Ellie."

"Ellie died?" asks Lucas, surprised.

"Yeah," says Peyton, sadly. "She had breast cancer and didn't even tell me. She had stopped her Chemo and that's what killed her."

"Wow," says Jake, as he and Lucas sit there, taking in what she told them.

"Yeah," says Peyton, looking down. "So, without you guys and Brooke and Haley and Ellie, I had nothing left to live for."

"Lucas," says Jake, looking at him. "Can you give us a second?"

"Yeah, sure," says Lucas, as he gets up. "I'll be outside."

He walks out of the room and Jake sits at Peyton's bedside.

"Peyton," says Jake, grabbing her hands. "I am so sorry for everything. I never meant to hurt you. You mean so much to me. I am so very sorry I hurt you with the whole Brooke thing. I know it was so hard on you and I can't even begin to explain to you how bad I feel because it's my fault that you're here."

"Jake," says Peyton, looking directly at him. "This isn't your fault. It's my fault. I was the one who gave up on myself."

"But, you wouldn't have if I hadn't broken your heart," says a guilty Jake, looking down.

"Jake," says Peyton, picking up his chin. "I know you didn't meant to hurt me. You're a sweet guy and I know you'd never intentionally hurt me. Besides, it was my choice to push you away when you tried to patch things. I'm sorry about that."

"You were hurt," says Jake, understanding. "I understood. I just really want us to be ok again. I hate the way we've been lately."

"I hate it too," says Peyton, squeezing his hands. "I don't hate you or have any hard feeling anymore. I care a lot about you. I just want us to be friends."

"I'd like that," says Jake, smiling. "Because I still care about you too. But, Peyton, I'm leaving."

"Where are you going?" questions Peyton.

"I'm gonna go visit Jenny in Chicago. I miss her like crazy and now that Liz and I broke up and you and I are over, I just really need to get away," says Jake, calmly.

"You and Liz broke up?" asks Peyton, confused.

"Yeah, it's kind of a long story but she cheated on me and we broke up," says Jake, obviously upset.

"Oh, Jake," says Peyton, sympathetically. "I am so sorry."

"Thanks," says Jake, smiling slightly. "So, I'm gonna go visit Jenny and I don't know when or if I'll be back."

"I'll miss you," says Peyton, looking at him.

"I'll miss you too," says Jake, squeezing her hands. "Peyton, I don't wanna ruin this nice moment but do you think you'd ever be interested in giving us another shot?"

"Jake," says Peyton, taken slightly aback. "I can't, it's just too much right now. I'm sorry."

Jake bows his head.

"I'm sorry," says Peyton, genuinely.

"It's ok," says Jake, regaining his composure. "I understand. As long we're friends."

"Of course," says Peyton, smiling.

They hug.

Lucas walks into the room.

"Peyton, can we talk?" asks Lucas, as Jake and Peyton break their hug.

"Yeah, sure," says Peyton, as she looks at Jake.

"I'll catch you guys later," says Jake, as he gets up and walks out of the room.

Lucas walks over and sits at Peyton's bedside.

"Peyton," says Lucas, looking down. "I am so sorry for abandoning you."

"Oh, god, Luke," says Peyton, shaking her head. "You didn't abandon me."

"Yes, I did," says a guilty Lucas, shamefully. "I just cut you out of my life because you were having problems with Brooke and Haley. I feel so horrible because I should've seen you needed me. I'm sorry my abandonment led to you being here."

"Lucas," says Peyton, grabbing his hands. "None of this is your fault. I understood that your loyalties were with Brooke and Haley. It was a lot more than just not having you in my life that caused me to give up."

"Well, Peyton, you don't have to worry about that anymore," says Lucas, reassuringly. "Haley's in L.A. and Brooke and I are over. It's just you and me now."

"You and Brooke broke up?" asks Peyton, suppressing a smile.

"Yeah," says Lucas, taking a deep breath. "It's a long story. But, she and I are through. It's just us again, Peyton. I missed you."

"I missed you too," says Peyton, as they hug.

Peyton smiles a self-satisfied. Brooke's out of the picture now, is this her chance?

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! Major stuff going on! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 44, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!

Author's Note #2: Happy Holidays and a Happy and Helathy New Year to Everyone!


	44. Reconnecting

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 44!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster and Kelly Clarkson also do not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 13,554 Hits! That is an extraordinary number, thank you so much to everyone for reading and reviewing! This story is coming out so amazing and I am thrilled to see that everyone is enjoying it! I still have major plans, lots more still to come! Please keep reading and reviewing, it's greatly appreciated!

Anyway, here's chapter 44. I hope you enjoy it!

Tuesday Morning-7:40-Sawyer Home

Peyton, wearing a white blouse and blue jeans, is in the kitchen with Lucas, who is wearing a black t-shirt and black jeans. They are sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. Peyton was released from the hospital last night.

"And that was it," says Lucas, sipping his coffee. "I told her everything between us was over and that was the end."

"Wow!" exclaims Peyton, in shock. Lucas had just told her what happened with him and Brooke. "That's some story."

"Yeah," says Lucas, staring into space. "Just imagine living it."

"I am so sorry Lucas," says a sympathetic Peyton, as she grabs his hands.

"Thanks," says Lucas, half smiling. "I'm just taking it one day at a time."

"Me too," says Peyton, smiling. "Have you spoken to her since it happened?"

"No," says Lucas, looking into his coffee cup. "I don't really have anything to say to her. She hurt me really bad, again. I can't be with her. I can't keep getting hurt like this."

"I understand," says Peyton, nodding. "Did you talk to Haley about what happened?"

"No," says Lucas, shaking his head. "I'm sure Brooke told her anyway."

"I'm sure," says Peyton, holding back her own pain.

"You're coming to the game tonight, right?" asks Lucas, looking at her.

"Absolutely," says Peyton, smiling. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Lucas checks his watch. "We better go or we'll be late for first period."

Peyton turns to look at the urn on the kitchen counter.

"I'll go with you to spread Ellie's ashes after school," says Lucas, standing up.

"Thanks Luke," says Peyton, as she gets up as well.

They put their cups in the sink, grab their stuff, and head to school.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431-10:00

Brooke, wearing her pink pajamas, is sitting at the kitchen table, nursing her cup of coffee.

Leaning on one hand, she is staring at the spot on her finger wearing her engagement ring once was.

"Why don't you call him Brooke?" asks Haley, walking into the kitchen. She is wearing a red blouse and dark blue jeans.

Brooke looks up, surprised. "I didn't see you Haley."

Haley joins her at the table. "You miss him Brooke. Just call him."

"I can't," says Brooke, dejectedly. "He doesn't wanna be with me anymore. And I don't know if I wanna be with him anymore either."

"Brooke," says Haley, gently. "If there's one thing I've learned from my own predicament, it's that the heart wants what the heart wants. You say you don't wanna be with him but is that how you really feel?"

"I don't know," says Brooke, shrugging her shoulders.

"Brooke," says Haley, grabbing her hands. "I know this is hard and unfair but the only way it's gonna get any better is if you decide what you want, once and for all. If you wanna be with him, then you go to him and you tell him and you make it work. But, if you don't, then you work on moving on. Living in this limbo only causes you more pain."

"I know," says Brooke, sighing. "I just need some time."

"Well, the suite is all yours today," says Haley, pulling her hands back and standing up. "I'm heading out to do some work with Mr. Foster and I probably won't be back until about five or six tonight. Feel free to order dinner or movies or whatever."

"Ok," says Brooke, turning around to look at the machine. "Oh, by the way, Haley, Bryce called."

Haley, who's standing at the door with her purse on, looks at Brooke. "I know. I heard the message."

"Are you gonna call him?" asks Brooke, curiously.

"I have to go," says Haley, grabbing her keys out of her bag.

"Haley," calls Brooke. "You can't run from this. Just like I can't run from my stuff."

"I can try," says Haley, opening the door, leaving, and closing it behind her.

Brooke sighs. God, love sucks!

Local Tree Hill Park-2:00

Lucas and Peyton are in the park and Peyton is holding the urn containing Ellie's ashes.

"Are you sure this is where Ellie would want her ashes spread?" asks Lucas, skeptically.

"Absolutely," says Peyton, sounding positive. "She loved the park and nature. This is exactly where she'd want her ashes to be spread out."

Lucas nods as Peyton takes the lid of urn off.

"Thank you for being there for me Ellie," says Peyton, allowing the ashes to fly about. "You were there for me when I needed you the most and I will never forget you. I love you, mom."

The rests of the ashes fly about and a new teary-eyed Peyton puts the lid back on the urn.

"Lucas," calls Peyton, holding back her tears. "Why'd I have to lose her too?"

"Oh, Peyton," says Lucas, sympathetically. "Come here."

Lucas pulls Peyton into a hug and she cries onto his shoulder.

"Why wouldn't she tell me she had cancer?" asks Peyton, through tears. "Didn't she'd know it would hurt so much if I lost her."

"She was probably just trying to protect you," says Lucas, gently. "You know she loved you."

"I do," says Peyton, lifting her head up and looking at Lucas.

Their eyes meet and before either of them know what's happening, they are locked in a passionate kiss.

Lucas pulls away. "I'm sorry Peyton. That should've have happened."

"It shouldn't?" asks Peyton, savoring the feeling of Lucas' warm lips on hers.

"No," says Lucas, firmly. "We're just two lonely people. Neither of us have feelings for the other. That kiss was just a mistake."

"You're right," says Peyton, hiding her obvious disappointment.

"Let's just forget it ever happened, ok?" asks Lucas.

"Sure," says Peyton, holding back her pain.

They continue talking, but Peyton doesn't pay attention. Her mind keeps wandering back to the kiss they just shared, how amazing it was, and how Peyton was crushed when Lucas said it was a mistake.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431-5:00

Brooke, dressed in a blue blouse and blue jeans, is sitting in the living room, watching "Scoop" on DVD.

The phone rings and Brooke reaches over to grab the cordless from the coffee table.

"Hello?" asks Brooke, answering the phone.

Roe Home-Lucas' Bedroom

"Brooke?" asks Lucas, who is seated at the desk in his room.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431

"Hi Lucas," says Brooke, unenthusiastically.

Roe Home-Lucas' Bedroom

"Are you in L.A. with Haley?" asks Lucas, leaning forward in his chair.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431

"Yeah," says Brooke, lying back on the couch. "I flew out here on Sunday."

Roe Home-Lucas' Bedroom

Lucas taps his hands on his desk. "Ok, is Haley there?"

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431

"No, she's out," says Brooke, uncomfortably. "She went out for the day to do work with Mr. Foster. I don't know when she's gonna be back."

Roe Home-Lucas' Bedroom

"Ok, thanks," says Lucas, quickly hanging up.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431

"Wait, Lucas," starts Brooke, as she hears the dial tone meaning Lucas hung up.

Brooke hangs up the phone and slumps down on the couch.

Roe Home-Lucas' Bedroom

Lucas bangs his hands on his desk.

'Damn it! Brooke went to L.A.' thinks an upset Lucas. 'Now there's no hope for reconciliation.'

Deep down inside, Lucas does love Brooke. He is very angry with her and extremely hurt but he can't help the fact that he does love Brooke.

Lucas lies back in his chair. What the hell is he going to do?

Tree Hill Gymnasium-7:00

The members of the Tree Hill Ravens are seated in the locker room.

"Tonight is a very important game," says Whitey, speaking to the team as a whole. "We lost our first game. It was an embarrassing lose. We need to get our record back. Get out there and give it all you got!"

"Ravens!" cry the guys as they get up and head out of the locker room.

Tree Hill Gymnasium-9:00

Lucas is walking out of the locker room after a humiliating 45-10 loss to the Water Mill Diamonds.

Peyton walks up to him.

"Hey," says Peyton, trying to be chipper.

"Hey," says Lucas. "I'm so sorry you had to see that game."

"Luke," says Peyton, concerned. "Is everything ok? You didn't play like yourself at all tonight. And from I heard you were like this during the last game too."

"Yeah," says Lucas, as confident as possible. "I'm fine. Just out of shape."

"Ok," says Peyton, nodding her head. "I gotta go right now but I'll talk to you later."

"Later," says Lucas, as she walks off.

Lucas walks out of the gymnasium, kicking himself for his horrid performance during the game tonight. His HCM medicine is ruining his game. God, life sucks!

Author's Note: Ok, here's chapter 44. I know it was short and not too eventful but I just need a transitional chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 45, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	45. Denial, Election Results

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 45!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster and Kelly Clarkson also do not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 14,263 Hits! That is a mind-blowing number of Hits, thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I honestly cannot believe what a huge following this story has, but that fact thrills me to no end. My gratitude to all of you for reading and following my story cannot properly be expressed. I feel like the writer of an actual television show sometimes. Here are a few notes on plotline in case any of you are interested: The Brooke/Lucas storyline is over for right now. The Peyton/Lucas storyline is going to pick up major speed and they will begin dating again. But, they are not permanent. Brooke/Lucas will eventually get together again. There is going to be a Haley/Bryce confrontation in an upcoming chapter, but this time it's going to be a calm, rational heart-to-heart where they're going to talk about all the issues that led to their breakup. Jake has left town but he will be returning very soon. More stuff will happen with Keith/Jules, as well as with Karen/Andy. The whole Lucas having HCM storyline will come to a close very soon. The next chapter, chapter 46, is going to turn the lives of everyone in Tree Hill upside down in ways never experienced before. Someone asked me the other day why I include so much drama and heartbreak in this story, as well as many of my other stories. The reason for my other stories is just that I find it interesting. The same goes for this story but there is also another reason. My life these last few months has taken a turn for the worst. I have been quite unhappy as well as unsatisfied and unfulfilled, due to personal things. Therefore, in order to alleviate my pain in some ways, I write this story with problems greater than mine. It also helps me to realize that there are people out there with greater problems than mine and it makes my life seem a little bit better. Besides, it makes for a hell of an amazing story! If there are ever any questions or comments about the story or suggestions/ideas about what you'd like incorporated, please feel free to e-mail because I love to hear from my readers.

Anyway, here's chapter 45. I hope you enjoy it!

Jules' Apartment-Wednesday Morning-11:30

Keith and Jules are sitting on the couch in the living room, watching television. Jules is snuggled tightly in Keith's arms.

Ever since her miscarriage, Jules has been trying her best to cope. She's been spending as much time as possible keeping herself busy but no matter what she does, nothing will alleviate her pain.

"I don't know what I would've done without you," says Jules, suddenly.

"What do you mean?" asks Keith, muting the television.

"Since the miscarriage," says Jules, struggling to form the word 'miscarriage.' "I don't know how I would've been able to handle these past few days without you. I've been in so much pain and you've managed to be my rock. Thank you."

"Jules, I would do anything for you," says Keith, pulling her in closer to him. "I am always here and will always be here for you. No matter what. I love you so much."

"I love you too," says Jules, as they kiss.

The phone rings.

"I got it," says Jules, as she sits up and reaches to the coffee table and picks up the cordless.

"Hello?" asks Jules, answering the phone. "Oh, hi, Josh."

Keith looks at her, eyes widening.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. How are you?" says Jules, looking at Keith. "Yeah, that sounds good. Ok, 2:00. See you then. Bye."

Jules hangs up the phone.

"What's going on at 2:00?" asks Keith, looking at her suspiciously.

"Josh wanted to meet so he and I could talk," explains Jules. "So, we're gonna meet at 2:00 at Karen's café."

"You're not gonna tell him, are you?" asks Keith, assuming she wouldn't.

"I don't really have much of a choice, Keith," says Jules, as a matter of fact. "It was his baby too. He has a right to know."

"I know," says Keith, nodding his head. "But, I'm just worried it's gonna open old wounds for you. I don't want you to be in any more pain."

"This isn't about me, Keith," says Jules, rationally. "It's about Josh knowing about what happened to his baby. I at least owe him that much."

Before Keith has a chance to respond, Jules gets up from the couch and heads into the bathroom.

Roe Home-12:00

Lucas and Peyton are in the kitchen, home from school for lunch.

They are seated at the kitchen table, eating.

"You know, Luke, I noticed that Brooke hasn't been in school at all this week," says Peyton, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Yeah, that's because she's in L.A. with Haley," says Lucas, sipping his Pepsi.

"Really?" questions Peyton, surprised. "How do you know?"

"I called to talk to Haley yesterday and Brooke answered," says Lucas, taking a bite of his own sandwich.

"I guess she flew there to see Haley," says Peyton, stating the obvious.

"Apparently," says Lucas, taking another bite of his sandwich.

Karen and Lucas walk into the kitchen and notice Peyton and Lucas.

"Oh, Lucas, I didn't know you were home," says Karen, obviously surprised.

"Yeah," says Lucas. "Peyton and I came home for lunch."

Peyton smiles.

"It's nice to see you, Peyton," says Karen, smiling. "I heard about your mom. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, me too," says Andy, sincerely. "My sincerest condolences."

"Thank you," says Peyton, taking a sip of her Sprite.

"Your mom and I were just talking about the election," Andy tells Lucas.

"Oh, that's right," says Peyton, suddenly remembering. "Tonight's the election. I wish you the Best of Luck tonight, Karen."

"Thank you," says Karen, as Andy wraps his arms around her waist. "If you're not busy tonight, I'd like you to come be with me, Andy, and Lucas tonight while we wait for the election results."

"I'd like that," says Peyton, smiling. "Thank you."

Karen smiles as she and Andy walk out of the room.

Lucas and Peyton continue talking and having lunch.

Café-2:00

"Karen, thanks for letting me meet Josh here at the café," says Jules, who is sitting at the counter. Karen is behind the counter. "I really appreciate it. I just didn't wanna be in a public place when I told him about the baby."

"It's no problem," says Karen, smiling. She still isn't Jules' biggest fan, but she and Keith are in love, so she is working on it.

Josh walks in.

"Hey Jules," says Josh, walking in.

"I'll be back in the back," says Karen, walking to the back.

"Hey Josh," says Jules, as they sit at one of the tables.

"You look well," says Josh, smiling.

"You do too," says Jules, awkwardly.

"So, Jules, the reason I called is because I miss you," says Josh, leaning forward in his chair. "I miss being with you. There's this void in my heart that only you can fill. I want us to be together again."

"Josh," says Jules, gently. "I'm sorry but Keith and I are together and we're in love. There's no more us. I'm sorry."

Josh leans back in his chair. "I understand."

"Josh," says Jules, seriously. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" asks Josh, leaning forward and putting his hands on the table.

"I found I was pregnant about eight days ago," says Jules, calmly. "It was your baby."

"That's great," says Josh, smiling.

Jules looks at him and his smile disappears.

"Wait, what do you mean was?" asks Josh, freaked out.

"Josh," says Jules, teary eyed. "I had a miscarriage five days ago. I am so sorry."

"No!" cries Josh, getting up from the table.

"Josh, please, wait," says Jules, holding back her own tears.

"I have to go," says an upset Josh, as he walks out of the café.

Jules sits there, wiping away the single teardrops flowing down her face. That was harder than she expected.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431-3300

Brooke, wearing a white blouse and blue jeans, is sitting at the kitchen table. Her schoolbooks are spread out all over and she is working on some homework.

"Negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus four times a times c divided by 2 times a," says Brooke, writing the Quadratic Formula in her notebook.

The suite door opens and in walks Haley.

"Oi," says Haley, walking into the kitchen. "I need a Tylenol."

"What's the matter?" asks Brooke, laughing, as Haley pulls the bottle of Tylenol out of the kitchen cupboard.

"I went with Mr. Foster to the Los Angeles American Idol auditions," says Haley, taking two Tylenol out and pouring herself a glass of water.

"That bad?" asks Brooke, as Haley takes the two Tylenol and washes them down with water.

"It was awful," says Haley, joining Brooke at the kitchen table. "I never heard such horrible off key singing before. My head was hurting after only fifteen minutes."

Brooke chuckles. "And why did you go to the American Idol auditions?"

"Oh, Mr. Foster just needed to stop by for like forty-five minutes before we went to the studio to do some vocal work," says Haley, noticing Brooke's books spread all over. "Did your book bag like explode or something?"

"No," says Brooke, laughing. "I just spread everything out so I can catch up on some of the work I've missed."

"Speaking of," says Haley, looking around. "Don't get me wrong or anything, Brooke, I love having you here and you're always welcome, but how much longer do you think you're gonna be here?"

"I don't know," says Brooke, scribbling something in her notebook. "A few more days."

"Brooke," says Haley, gently. "You can't stay and hide out here forever. You are going to have to go home eventually."

"I know," says Brooke, putting her pen down. "I just need a little more time."

"Ok," says Haley, skeptically. "Just remember that the longer you avoid something the harder it gets."

"Look who's talking," says Brooke, mockingly.

"What are you talking about?" asks Haley, confused.

"Haley, I love you and I know you're only trying to help me but do you realize what a huge hypocrite you are?" asks Brooke, in the nicest way possible. "You tell me not to avoid going home because of the Lucas thing and that the longer I avoid it, the harder it'll get but you're doing the same thing with Bryce."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," says Haley, coyly.

"Come on, Haley," says Brooke, looking directly at her. "We both know you're avoiding Bryce's phone calls."

Haley looks at her. "Ok, you're right. God, I'm such a hypocrite. I can't even practice what I preach."

"Do you wanna talk to him?" asks Brooke, trying to help.

"I do," says Haley, upset. "But, I'm still so angry with him."

"Haley," says Brooke, grabbing Haley's hands. "If you wanna talk to him, then you should. You guys still have a lot of issues you need to work out. You can't run from this. You have to do something."

"All I have to do right now is get rid of this headache," says Haley, pulling her hands back, getting up, and walking to her bedroom.

Brooke sighs. So many problems, so little time.

She looks at her math homework. Synthetic Division, now how do you do that again?

Café-7:00

The café is set up with Karen's campaign posters and there is a hero sandwich on the counter.

Karen and Andy are behind the counter. Lucas, Nathan and Peyton are sitting at the counter. They are anxiously awaiting the results of the mayoral election.

"Karen, my mom is really sorry she couldn't be here," says Nathan, feeling bad. "But, she has to stand by my dad tonight."

"It's ok," says Karen, nodding her head. "I know she has to stand by Dan. She called me before to wish me luck."

"The results will be on any minute now," says Andy, looking at the television.

"I just wish Brooke and Haley were here tonight," says Karen, a bit sadly. "I love them both. They're so sweet and loving and I wish they were here to share this night with me."

Lucas, Nathan, and Peyton look between them.

Before anyone can respond, Andy makes the volume on the television higher.

"It's time for the results," calls Andy.

Andy grabs Karen's hand as the five of the them stare at the television screen.

"And in the closest mayoral race ever in the history of Tree Hill, the winner is local businessman Dan Scott," announces the newsman.

Karen looks down, obviously sad.

"Oh, Karen," says Andy, pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry."

"We're so sorry, Karen," says Nathan, speaking for himself, Lucas, and Peyton.

"It's ok," says Karen, as she and Andy break the hug. "I'm ok."

Everyone looks at her, sympathetically.

"I'm fine, really," says Karen, teary eyed. "Yes, I'm upset. But, I'm not gonna fall apart."

"We should all go out to dinner," says Andy, trying to boost morale.

"Andy, Karen just lost the election," says Peyton, eyeing him suspiciously. "I'm sure she doesn't wanna go out to dinner."

"Actually I do," says Karen, smiling. "I have a lot of other things to be grateful for. Dinner sounds like a great idea."

"Ok," says Lucas. "Then, let's go."

Everyone grabs their stuff and the five of them leave to go have dinner.

Josh's Apartment

Josh is sitting on the couch in his living room, glass of scotch in his hand. The bottle of scotch is sitting on his coffee table, as is a gun.

Josh picks up the gun and puts his hand on the trigger.

"I'm gonna kill that Keith for taking Jules from me," says Josh, obviously drunk. "If she and I were still together, we'd still have our baby."

Josh leans back, smiling devilishly. Keith's life would be over, just like Josh's was.

Author's Note: Uh-oh, this doesn't look good! What a chapter! Major stuff going on! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 46, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	46. Shooting

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 46!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster and Kelly Clarkson also do not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: At the moment I am writing this chapter, I have 14,657 Hits! That is a phenomenal number of Hits, thank you so much to everyone for reading and reviewing. I still have major plans for this story. There is a whole hell of a lot more drama to come and everyone's lives are gonna change within the next few chapters. Please keep reading and reviewing, it's greatly appreciated!

Anyway, here's chapter 46. I hope you enjoy it!

Café-Thursday-5:00

Karen, Deb, Keith, Jules, Lucas, Peyton, and Nathan are all by the counter. Karen and Deb are behind the counter and Keith, Jules, Lucas, Peyton, and Nathan are sitting at the counter.

"And Dan's been acting all high and mighty since he won yesterday," says Deb, obviously annoyed. "That smug attitude of his is really getting irritating."

"But, it's Dan," says Jules.

"Yeah," says Keith, in agreement. "He's always been smug."

"At least he's finally giving me my divorce," says Deb, looking at Nathan. "You and I will finally be free now, Nathan."

Nathan smiles.

They continue talking when they hear the front door open.

They all turn and see Josh.

"Josh," calls Jules, surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm here to settle a score," says Josh, pulling his gun out his holster.

Everyone's eyes widen as they see the gun.

"Josh," says Jules, freaked out. "What is that?"

"It's a gun," says Josh, as a matter of fact.

Karen turns around to head into the back but Josh points the gun at her.

"Take another step and you're dead," threatens Josh.

Lucas looks at his mom, helplessly.

Karen turns around and heads back to where she previously was.

"Ok, Josh," says Keith, cautiously standing up. "Just put the gun down and we'll talk about this."

"I wouldn't move another step if I were you," says Josh, pointing the gun at him. "You're the reason I'm here. I'm here to kill you for taking Jules away from me and causing her to lose my baby."

There is a gasp from everyone, as their eyes widen.

"You're insane Josh," says Jules, standing up next to Keith. "The miscarriage wasn't Keith's fault, it was no one's fault."

"But, if he hadn't taken you away from me, maybe we could've prevented it," says Josh, enraged. "You son of a bitch."

Josh fires a shot and Keith grabs Jules and they duck.

The bullet hits the way and Lucas grabs Peyton and pulls her down to the floor.

Karen and Deb duck behind the counter and Nathan joins them.

"Josh, you can't seriously do this," says Jules, fearing for Keith's life. "This is crazy. You're gonna go to jail for murder."

"I don't have you anymore," says Josh, gun at his side. "I have nothing to live for anymore."

Lucas and Peyton quietly come behind the counter, to join Karen, Deb, and Nathan.

"Lucas, get out of here," says Karen, fearing for his life.

"No," says Lucas, firmly. "I am not leaving you. Any of you."

Josh walks behind the counter.

"I'm having a bad day here guys," says Josh. "Could you please cooperate and come around to the other side of the counter?"

A terrified Deb nods, as they all stand up and sit down in front of the counter.

"Sit," orders Josh to Keith and Jules.

They join everyone else on the floor.

"No one leaves until I get what I want," says Josh, going over and locking the door. "Do these shades close?"

"Ye…ye…yes," says Karen, shivering with fear.

Josh pulls down the shades.

"I'm sorry for putting a crimp in your day," says Josh, speaking to Karen, Deb, Lucas, Peyton, and Nathan. "But, I need Jules to be with me. Either that or I kill Keith."

Josh begins pacing.

"I think he's beginning to lose it," whispers Lucas.

"Beginning?" retorts a whispering Nathan. "He's holding us hostage and is threatening to kill Keith. He's already lost it."

"What are we gonna do?" whispers Peyton.

"Just remain calm," whispers Karen, trying to ease everyone's mind. "This'll all blow over eventually."

Lucas leans against the counter and looks towards Josh who is walking back and forth. He pulls out his cell phone and dials 911.

"Luke," whispers Peyton. "Are you nuts?"

Josh turns around and sees Lucas on his cell phone.

"Give it to me," demands Josh. "Now!"

Lucas rolls it on the floor over to Josh.

Josh throws it against the wall.

"Everybody," calls Josh, screaming. "Cell phones. Give them up to me now."

They all roll their cell phones onto the floor and Josh throws them all against the wall.

A police siren is heard in the background.

"I guess the cops are coming," says Josh, bemused. "This should be fun."

"Fun?" cries Nathan, standing up. "What the hell is the matter with you?"

"Nathan," cries Deb. "Sit down."

"No," says Josh, demandingly. "Let him finish. What were you gonna say?"

"You're fucking psychotic," says Nathan. "Keeping us here, threatening to kill Keith just because you lost Jules. It's pathetic."

Josh stares wordlessly at Nathan. He pulls out his gun and shoots him.

"Oh My God!" cries Deb, as everyone jumps back in fear.

"Nathan," calls a now crying Deb, as she runs over to him. He has a bullet in his stomach.

Lucas pulls Peyton into his arms, Keith pulls Jules into his arms, and Karen sits there, tears flowing from all of them.

"You have to let us go," pleads Deb, hysterical. "He's going to die. You have to let us out of here."

"No," replies Josh, firmly. "No one goes anywhere."

"Let us out of here!" cries Lucas, as he gets up and tackles Josh.

"Lucas!" calls Karen and Peyton simultaneously.

Josh pushes Lucas off and fires his gun at him.

Lucas falls onto the floor, bullet in his chest.

"NO!!!!" screams Peyton, as she and Karen run over to Lucas' side.

Keith and Jules are now hysterical crying as well.

Before anyone has another chance to react, there is a sound of glass breaking and Josh falls onto the floor. There is a bullet in his back and he is dead. Apparently, the cops shot through the front door and killed Josh.

"AHHHH!!!!!!" screams Jules, completely traumatized. Keith pulls her into his arms to shield her eyes.

The police kick the door down and enter and see that Nathan and Lucas have been shot.

Paramedics enter and take Lucas and Nathan out on stretchers.

A very shaken Deb, Karen, Peyton, Keith, and Jules go with them to the hospital.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431-8:30

Brooke and Lucas are sitting at the kitchen table, eating dinner. Haley was out working most of the day with Mr. Foster. She got home about ten minutes ago and she and Brooke ordered dinner.

"It was the funniest thing," says Haley, as she and Brooke laugh.

The phone rings.

"I got it," says a smiling Brooke, as she gets up and picks up the cordless on the kitchen counter. "Hello? Oh, hi, Karen."

Brooke eyes' widen and she has to hold onto the counter in order to keep herself from falling. "Ok, bye."

A sullen Brooke hangs up the phone and stands at the counter, tears in her eyes.

"Brooke," says Haley, very concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Lucas and Nathan have been shot," says a horrified Brooke, tears flowing.

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! Major stuff going on! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 47, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!

Author's Note #2: First chapter of 2007, this story is still going strong! I hope everyone had an enjoyable new year and I wish you all a Bright, Joyous, and Prosperous New Year fullied with health and happiness.


	47. Aftermath

Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 47!

By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Bevin, Whitey, and any characters that appear on the show. David Foster and Kelly Clarkson also do not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: Keeping this short, thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing and please continue doing so.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431-Thursday Night-8:30

"Lucas and Nathan have been shot," says a horrified Brooke, tears flowing.

"Shot?" questions Haley, in shock. "How? When? What happened?"

"Karen said Jules' ex-boyfriend came in with a gun because he wanted Jules back. And he shot Nathan and Lucas," says Brooke, wiping away her tears. "I can't believe this."

"Are they ok?" asks a teary-eyed Haley, as Brooke sits down at the table.

"Karen said they're stable," says Brooke, staring into space. "We need to fly home."

"Yeah," says Haley, reluctantly nodding her head.

"I can be packed in twenty minutes," says Brooke, starting to get up.

"Brooke," says Haley, gently, as Brooke sits down. "It's 8:30. Even if you packed and we took the private jet, we wouldn't leave LA until almost 10:00. That means we wouldn't get there until sometime early in the morning. It would make more sense to just leave early in the morning."

"You're right," says Brooke, rationally. "But, can you have the private jet ready for like 7:30-8?"

"Absolutely," says Haley, reluctantly.

"Ok," says Brooke, taking a deep breath. "I'm just really worried about them."

"I am too," says Haley, grabbing Brooke's hands. "But, they're both fighters. They'll be fine."

Brooke smiles and they hug.

Tree Hill Hospital-Friday Morning-7:00

Karen, Deb, Peyton, Keith, and Jules are all sitting in the waiting room. They are deadly worried about Lucas and Nathan.

"Karen!" calls Andy, coming running down the hall.

Karen gets up as Andy approaches her.

"I am so sorry it took me so long to get here," says Andy, partially out of breath. "But, I was all the way in New York at a meeting. I didn't get your call voicemail until 9 last night and I hopped on my private jet as soon as I could."

Andy looks at her. "I am so glad you are ok. I was so distraught on my way over here and was kicking myself for not being here. How are Lucas and Nathan doing?"

Karen breaks down into tears and Andy pulls her into a hug.

Andy looks at everyone else, who like Karen, look disheveled and distraught.

"They're okay," says Keith, solemnly, answering Andy's question. "They had to be taken into surgery to remove the bullets. They're stable but unconscious."

"Oh god," says Andy, pulling Karen in tighter.

"This is all my fault," says Jules, guiltily. "I never should've told him about the baby. If something god forbid would've happened to either Lucas or Nathan I never would've forgiven myself."

"Jules," says Deb, holding back her own tears. "This is no one's fault. Josh was obviously very disturbed."

"I'm just so thankful they're at least stable," says Peyton, speaking up for the first time in hours.

"We all are, honey," says Deb, grabbing Peyton's hand.

Andy and Karen break their hug and sit down.

The elevator doors open and out walks Dan.

"Karen, Deb," says Dan, unknowingly their pain. "How are they?"

"They're unconscious," says Karen, sniffling.

"I'm glad everyone else is all right," says Dan, genuinely.

Deb breaks down and Dan sits down next to her and pulls her into his arms.

There they all sat, praying Lucas and Nathan would wake up soon.

Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel-Room 431-7:15 A.M.

Brooke, wearing a white blouse and blue jeans, walks out of the bedroom, luggage in hand, to find Haley, wearing a blue blouse and blue jeans, sitting at the table, nursing a cup of coffee.

"Ok, Haley," says Brooke, expectantly. "I'm ready. Let's go."

"I'm not going," says Haley, solemnly.

"What do you mean you're not going?" asks Brooke, confused.

"I can't go home Brooke," says Haley, looking directly at Brooke.

"Haley," says Brooke, in shock. "Lucas and Nathan were shot. You have to come home."

"I know I do," says Haley, emotionally. "But, I can't take it. I'm not ready to go home yet. I can't handle it."

"You have got to be kidding me!" exclaims Brooke, a bit angry. "This isn't about you. It's about Lucas and Nathan."

"I know it is Brooke," says Haley, wiping away single teardrops. "I love them both and I want them to be ok more than anything but everything is just such a mess. I cannot go home."

"Haley," says Brooke, trying to be as nice as possible. "Do you realize how selfish you're being?"

"I do, Brooke," says Haley, obviously struggling with her decision. "I really do. I know I shouldn't be selfish, I mean Lucas and Nathan were shot for god sakes. But, my heart cannot handle going home. I'm sorry."

"I can't believe you're gonna do this," says Brooke, appalled.

"Neither can I, Brooke," says Haley, dejectedly. "Neither can I."

"Ok," says Brooke, remaining calm. "This is your decision. I'm not gonna fight with you about this."

"Thank you," says Haley, looking at Brooke.

Brooke can clearly see the pain in Haley's eyes.

Haley gets up from the table as Brooke approaches her.

"Haley," says Brooke, genuinely. "Thank you so much for letting me stay here these few days. You were there for me when I needed you most, my best friend was there when I needed her most, and I will never forget what you did for me. I love you Haley and I will talk to you soon."

"It was a pleasure," says Haley, as they hug. "I am always here for you and I love you too. The private jet is waiting for you at the airport. Please call me when you get back to Tree Hill and tell me how everyone is."

"Will do," says Brooke, as they break the hug. "Bye Haley."

"Bye," says Haley, as Brooke grabs her bag and walks out.

Haley sits at the table and as she hears the door shut, she bursts into tears.

How she could not go home? What the hell is the matter with her?

Tree Hill Hospital-4:00 P.M.

Karen, Andy, Deb, Peyton, Keith, and Jules are still in the waiting room.

"This is ridiculous!" cries Karen, getting up. "The doctors said they should've woken up by now."

"Karen," says Andy gently. "Just relax. Everything will be fine."

Dan walks into the waiting room.

"They're up," says Dan, as everyone looks on hopefully. "I just spoke with them. They're well. I'll see everyone later."

Dan leaves as they all run into the hospital room to see Lucas and Nathan.

"Oh, Lucas!" cries Karen, tears flowing. "Thank God!"

Karen runs over and pulls him into a big hug.

"Thank God you're ok Nathan!" cries a crying Deb, pulling him into a huge hug.

Lucas and Nathan smile, thankful to be alive.

"Good to see you're ok, Luke," says Andy. "You too Nathan."

They smile.

"I'm so glad you guys are ok," says Keith, smiling. "I was so worried."

"I'm fine," says Lucas, as he and his mom break their hug. "Just a bit tired and shaken up."

"Yeah," says Nathan, as he and his mom break the hug. "I feel the same."

"I am so sorry for what happened to you guys," says Jules, guiltily. "I feel so incredibly horrible. I am terribly sorry."

"It's not your fault," says Lucas, comfortingly.

"Yeah," says Nathan, in agreement. "Josh is crazy. It's not your fault."

"What happened to him anyhow?" asks Lucas, not remembering.

"The cops shot him," says Karen, wiping away her tears. "He's dead."

"Oh, thank god," says Nathan, relieved.

Lucas looks towards Peyton, who has been silent.

"Can you guys give Peyton and I a second?" asks Lucas, looking at everyone.

"Yeah, sure," says Deb, as she look at Nathan. "Let's get you something to eat."

They all leave the room, Nathan being helped by Keith and Andy.

"Peyton," says Lucas, sitting up. "I am so glad you're ok."

Peyton walks over to him and begins crying.

"I was so scared of losing you," says Peyton, through tears. "Lucas, I am so in love with you."

"Peyton, I," says Lucas, at a loss of words.

Her tears fall and he brushes them away with his fingers.

"I want us to be together again," says Lucas, gently. "I love you too Peyton."

Peyton smiles. "Really?"

"Really," says Lucas, as he pulls her in for a kiss.

They kiss passionately, as Brooke walks in.

"Luke, I am…" starts Brooke, who stops when she sees Lucas and Peyton making out.

Brooke quickly walks away, obviously hurt. But, neither Lucas nor Peyton noticed her enter or leave because they were locked in a passionate kiss.

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! Major stuff going on! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 48, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	48. Chapter 48 Reloaded: Confrontations

**Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 48!  
**By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Jake Jagielski, Bevin, Whitey, and any other characters that appear on the show. David Foster and Kelly Clarkson also do not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

Author's Note: After much careful thought and consideration, I have decided that I am going to change around the plot of the story, beginning with changes to this and the next chapter as well. The real, major changes will start in chapter 50 and continue on from there. I know I haven't written in a long time and I've been thinking about getting back into it for a while now and I knew that I wanted to do that by getting back to writing this story again. But, upon my re-reading of the already written chapters and seeing the direction in which I took this story, I realized that I wasn't happy with it. I wanted to change things around so that is what I have decided to do. I hope you guys enjoy the newly re-mastered "Rebuilding and Crumbling."

****Café-Tuesday Afternoon-3:00*****  
It's been four days since the last chapter and after four days in the hospital, Lucas and Nathan were both given a clean bill of health, completely recovered from being shot. Jules still feels pretty guilty for what happened to them as well as all the pain she put everyone through because of her actions.

It's about 3:00 in the afternoon on Tuesday, November 2, 2005. Lucas and Karen are at the café, with Karen behind the counter and Lucas sitting at the counter.

"Lucas," says Karen, gratefully. "I was so scared of losing you. I thank God a million times that you're ok."

"I'm not going anywhere mom," says Lucas, as he grabs his mom's hands. "I love you."

"I love you too," says Karen, as she smiles.

The café door opens and in walks Brooke.

"Hey Brooke," says Karen, happy to see her.

"Hey Karen," says Brooke, cracking a smile, as she and Lucas look at each other. "I heard about the election. I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," says Karen, smiling. She notices that Brooke and Lucas keep looking at each other. "I gotta run to the store. I'll see you guys later."

Karen grabs her purse and jacket and leaves.

"What are you doing here, Brooke?" asks Lucas, not happy to see her.

"We need to talk," says Brooke, firmly.

"There's nothing to talk about anymore," says Lucas, getting up from the counter. "I made everything perfectly clear the other day. So, you can just go."

"Oh, there is something to talk about," says Brooke, in an accusatory tone. "Like how you cheated on me and betrayed me with that whore Peyton."

"What the hell are you talking about?" asks Lucas, angrily.

"I saw you and Peyton kissing at the hospital yesterday," says Brooke, equally as angry.

"Yeah and?" asks Lucas, not caring. "My life is none of your god damn business anymore."

"I am your girlfriend," says Brooke, as a matter of fact.

"No, correction," says Lucas, crossing his arms. "You were my girlfriend. Peyton is my girlfriend now."

"How the hell could you do that to me?" Brooke asks, both hurt and anger evident in her voice.

"I did nothing to you," says Lucas, defensively. "We broke up. I moved on. Peyton and I are together now. She and I are in love. Everything you and I had is in the past; it's over and gone for good."

Brooke just stares at him, unable to find her words. "You're a jerk off Lucas, you know that?"

"Screw you!" cries a pissed off Lucas. "Just of my life and leave me the hell alone. I want nothing to do with you anymore."

"I hate you," says Brooke, sadistically, as she holds back tears.

"I hate you too," says Lucas, angry. "Now, kindly get the hell out of here."

"I hope you and your whore are happy," says Brooke, as she walks out.

Lucas picks up a cup from the counter and throws it against the wall.

God, Brooke makes him so angry; what a bitch!

****Jules' Apartment-3:30****  
Keith is sitting in the living room, watching television and Jules is in the kitchen, washing the dishes.

"Hey Keith," calls Jules. "Are there any dishes or glasses in there?"

"No, dear," calls Keith, focused on the episode of 'Friends' he is watching.

"I have an idea," says Jules, walking into the living room, holding a dish and a dishtowel in her hand. "How about we move in together?"

"Sounds good," says Keith, obviously not paying attention.

"Ok," says Jules, as she turns around and begins to walk back into the kitchen.

"Wait, woah," says Keith, finally realizing what he agreed to. "What?"

Jules turns back around.

"What's the matter?" asks Jules, confused. "Don't you want to move in together?"

"I do," says Keith, taken aback. "I'm just a little surprised is all."

"Why?" asks Jules, leaning against the wall, dish and dishtowel still in hand.

"Well, moving in together is a really big step," explains Keith.

"I think we're ready for it," says Jules, putting down the dish and dishtowel and sitting on the coffee table across from Keith. "We've been together for a long time and things are going really well. I think it'd be good for us. Because Keith, I love you so much and I want us to live together."

"I love you too and I want us to live together too," says Keith, as he pulls Jules in for a passionate kiss.

****Scott Home-4:00*****  
Deb is sitting on the couch in the living room, watching some television.

Ever since Dan won the election, he's been very busy with mayor stuff and luckily for Deb, he hasn't been around much. Dan has also stuck to his word; she stood by his side during the election and put on the "good wife" act and Dan has left her alone about the fire. He has also agreed to give her a divorce.

Deb looks out the window and sees the mailman putting the mail in the mailbox.

Deb gets up and opens the front door to retrieve the mail.

She grabs the mail out of the mailbox and sees a box on the porch. It looks like it contains flowers.

Deb picks it up and brings it inside with her.

She sets the box down on the foyer table and opens it.

"Oh, ew," says Deb, making a disgusted face. It's a bouquet of flowers with roaches crawling all over them.

Deb sees a note and pulls it out, quickly covering the box back up.

She opens the note and reads it.

"Dear Deb,  
I haven't forgotten that you tried to kill me. You did as I asked and stood by me as I ran for mayor but what I didn't tell you was that there was an ulterior motive in my offering you that get out of jail free card. The only reason I offered it to you was so I could get revenge on you personally. Jail wouldn't have put you through half of what I want to put you through myself. You will be sorry you tried to kill me. Mark my words.  
-Dan."

Deb stands there, letter in hand, in shock.

****Tree Hill High-Courtyard-5:00****  
Peyton is sitting on one of the benches, waiting for Lucas to arrive.

"Hey whore," calls Brooke, entering the courtyard and walking towards Peyton.

"Can I help you with something?" asks Peyton, not wanting to deal with Brooke at the moment.

"Yeah, you can," says Brooke, crossing her arms over her chest. "Let's talk about you being a boyfriend stealing whore."

"I didn't steal Lucas from you Brooke," says Peyton, defensively. "You guys broke up and he chose to go out with me of his own volition. We're in love."

Brooke stands there, shaking her head. "You know Peyton, I was this close to giving you another chance. When I found out you were in the hospital, I was so upset. I would've never forgiven myself if you had died while we were at odds. But now, I honestly don't care. Because you stole my boyfriend. You betrayed me, yet again. And I can never forgive you for that."

"That's great Brooke," says Peyton, sarcastically. "But I honestly don't give a shit. You and Haley are stuck up little bitches and I don't need either of you. I have Lucas now and he is all I'll ever need."

"I hope you and him are happy," says Brooke, as Lucas enters the courtyard, unbeknownst to Brooke. "The whore and the bastard, a match clearly made in Heaven."

"I think you have that mistaken," calls Lucas, as Brooke turns around to face him. "You're the only whore here."

"Stay out of this Lucas," says Brooke, firmly. "This isn't your concern."

"That's where you're wrong," says Lucas, walking towards Peyton, who stands up. "Peyton is my girlfriend and I love her and I am not just gonna let you trash talk her or us like that."

He wraps his arms around Peyton. "It's not my fault you're a jealous bitch."

Brooke looks at them, eyes burning with anger. "Screw both of you. I hope you guys hurt each other so bad that you never speak again."

"Whatever Brooke," says Peyton, proudly defending her and Lucas. "The only person that can hurt us is you. Just leave us the hell alone."

"You messed with the wrong girl," says Brooke, looking directly at them. "I will get you back for this. Both of you."

"Oh, we're quivering in our boots, Brooke," says Lucas, mockingly.

Brooke walks off, angrily.

"Are you ok?" asks Lucas, letting go of Peyton and turning around to face her. "I know that must've been hard for you."

"Yeah," says Peyton, cracking a smile. "As long as I have you, I'm happy."

Lucas smiles and he pulls Peyton in for a hug. "It's us now Peyton. I love you and nothing is going to keep me from being with you."

"I love you too," says Peyton, as she looks up at Lucas and they kiss.

****Los Angeles-Four Seasons Hotel- Room 431- 6:00****  
"Coming," calls Haley, as she goes to answer the door. She is wearing a white blouse and blue jeans.

She opens the door to find Bryce standing on the other side of the threshold, wearing a brown t-shirt and black jeans.

"Bryce," says Haley, surprised to see him.

"Hey Haley," says Bryce, awkwardly.

"What are you doing here?" asks Haley, leaning against the doorframe.

"You haven't returned any of my phone calls this last week so I figured I'd fly out and come see you," explains Bryce. "Can we please talk?"

"I really don't think we have anything left to say to each other," says Haley, as she begins to shut the door.

"Please," pleads Bryce, pushing the door open with his hand. "Just five minutes, please."

"Fine," says Haley, opening the door and ushering him inside. "Come in."

Bryce enters and looks around. "Nice place you got here."

"Thanks," says Haley, as she sits on the couch and Bryce sits on the chair across from her. "So, what'd you wanna talk to me about?"

"About what happened with us Haley," says Bryce, looking directly at her. "I am so sorry about everything. About what I did, about how I acted, about the terrible things I said. I was wrong and totally at fault and I am just so sorry."

Haley looks at him and can tell he's being sincere. How could she be nasty when he was so genuinely sorry?

"It's ok Bryce," says Haley, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry too. About sleeping with Nathan and saying what I did. It was wrong of me and I'm sorry."

"I forgive you Haley," says Bryce, sweetly.

"Thank you, but, Bryce, I…" starts Haley, trying to hold herself together. "I can't forgive you for what you did. I loved you so much, I gave you my heart, I trusted you and you betrayed me and broke my heart. You hit on my best friend and most of all lied to me the entire time we were together about being bisexual. I'm sorry Bryce but I just can't forgive you for that. Our whole relationship was a lie. It hurt so badly when I found out Bryce; I was finally happy again and you ruined it."

"I'm so sorry Haley," says Bryce, looking down in shame. "I was so stupid and so wrong. I love you so much and I never meant to hurt you like I did."

"But you did," says Haley, single tears starting to fall. "Why didn't you ever tell me that you were bisexual? Were you afraid I'd leave you? Because I never would've done that."

"I know Haley and I'm sorry," says Bryce, not knowing what else to say. "I know I should've told you but being bisexual is something that I've struggled with for years. I didn't wanna tell you because I knew that once I did it would become official."

"I can try to understand that," says Haley, composing herself. "But you still should've told me."

"I know," says Bryce, bowing his head. "And I'm sorry."

"And you hit on Lucas, my best friend," says Haley, holding back her tears.

"Oh God Haley, that was such a mistake," says Bryce, guiltily. "My hormones were just on overdrive and I was a little sexually frustrated since you and I hadn't been together for a while and I just took it out the wrong way. I'm sorry. God, that was such a mistake. Right after I did it I regretted it. I know how stupid it was Haley and I am so sorry."

Haley nods and wipes away the tears falling down her cheek. "I'm sorry too. I know you said you forgive me but you shouldn't because I'm just as much at fault as you are. We were together, we were dating and in love and I betrayed everything we had by sleeping with Nathan. In a moment of, I don't know if it was lust or love or passion or what I got caught up and it just happened. I betrayed our entire relationship when I slept Nathan and I have just been feeling so horrible and guilty. And I'm so sorry Bryce. Really, I am. That's why I haven't returned any of your calls; I've been too ashamed and guilt-ridden to face you."

"It's ok," says Bryce, sitting next to her and brushing away her now free flowing tears with his thumb. "Like I said, I forgive you.

Haley breaks down into tears and Bryce pulls her into a hug, just letting her cry on his chest.

"I want us to be okay again Bryce," says Haley, through her tears. "I can't take go around everyday feeling like this."

"I want that too," says Bryce, gently as he holds her close. "As far as I'm concerned we are okay again. All's forgiven Haley."

"Thank you Bryce," says Haley, sitting up and wiping away her tears. "The same goes for me."

Bryce smiles at her and she smiles back at him.

"But, Bryce, I don't know if you had any hopes for us getting back together, and if you did I'm sorry, but I don't think we should get back together," says Haley gently, as she looks into his eyes.

"Oh," says Bryce, trying to hide his disappointment.

"I'm sorry," says Haley, trying to make eye contact with Bryce. "I care about you a lot and I do love you and on some level I always will, but my heart lies elsewhere."

"It's Nathan, isn't it?" asks Bryce, looking up at her expectantly.

"Yes, it is," says Haley, gently. "You've been so amazing and incredible to me and I'll never forget that. But it's taken some time for me to realize that my heart really lies with Nathan. I'll always care about and love you, but Nathan is the one I really wanna be with. I'm sorry Bryce."

"I understand," says Bryce, nodding his head. "You'll always be my Haley, the first girl I ever loved."

Haley smiles at his comment. He was a sweetheart, she'd give him that much.

Bryce looks at his watch and stands up. "I guess I should be going. I can catch the Red Eye back to Tree Hill if I leave now."

"Okay," says Haley, as she stands up to face him. "Thank you for coming Bryce. I'm really glad you came and that we talked and everything."

"Me too," says Bryce, smiling at her.

Haley smiles back at him.

"Is it ok if I hug you?" Bryce asks her.

"Absolutely," says Haley, opening her arms up. "In fact, I'll be quite offended if you don't."

They both laugh as Bryce opens his arms and they hug.

Bryce savors the hug and feeling Haley in his arms, for he knows that this is the last time that she will ever be in his arms again.

"You take care Haley," says Bryce, as they break the hug.

"You too," says Haley, as Bryce heads towards the door. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Ok," says Bryce, as he takes one last look at Haley before opening the door. "Bye."

"Bye," says Haley, as Bryce walks out and shuts the door behind him.

She stands there and takes a deep breath. That was hard, but she's glad Bryce came and that they worked through everything.

Haley smiles to herself and heads into the kitchen to get something to eat.

Meanwhile, in the hallway outside Haley's room, Bryce is sitting on the floor, tears in his eyes.

"I'll always love you Haley," Bryce says out loud.

He's just lost the woman he loves forever, what is he going to do now?

Bryce just sits there, unable to stop his tears from flowing.

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! Major stuff going on! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 49, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


	49. Chapter 49 Reloaded: Life Changes Again

_Rebuilding and Crumbling Chapter 49!_  
By: Matt91

Disclaimer: Lucas Scott, Nathan Scott, Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Haley James don't belong to me, as do Karen Roe, Deb Scott, Dan Scott, Andy Hargrove, Jake Jagielski, Bevin, Whitey, and any other characters that appear on the show. David Foster and Kelly Clarkson also do not belong to me. Please e-mail me with any comments you may have.

****Roe Home-Wednesday Afternoon-1:00****  
Andy is sitting in the living room on the phone.

There is a small velvet box sitting on the living room table.

"Yes, that's a dinner reservation for two at 7 o'clock," says Andy, opening the box to reveal an 8-½-carat diamond ring. "The name's Andy Hargrove. Ok, thank you."

Andy hangs up the phone and picks up the velvet box and smiles. Tonight, he's going to take Karen to a romantic dinner and he's going to ask her to marry him.

After all they've been through, Andy could not be any happier that he was with Karen. She is the most special woman in the world. Beautiful, smart, funny, kind, sweet, caring, she was everything Andy had ever looked for and more. He loves her with all of his heart and all of his soul and nothing in this world would make him happier than to spend the rest of his life with her, until death do they part.

Lucas passes by the living room.

"Andy," calls Lucas, entering the living room. "What are you doing?"

Andy quickly closes the box.

"What is that?" asks Lucas, referring to the box, as he sits across from Andy.

"Luke," says Andy, gently. "I'm going to ask your mom to marry me tonight."

"Really?" asks Lucas, a smile forming.

"Yes," says Andy, a bit hesitantly. "I hope that's ok with you."

"Are you kidding?" asks Lucas, happily. "That's amazing. You're a great guy Andy and I know how much my mom loves you and how much you love her. I couldn't be any happier that you are gonna get married. You guys are perfect for each other."

Andy smiles. "I'm glad you're ok with it. I don't want you to think I'm intruding on your life or anything."

"Absolutely not," says Lucas, smiling. "This is really great."

Andy smiles. "Thanks Luke."

Lucas smiles and they divulge into discussion about Andy's proposal.

****Tree Hill High-Gymnasium-3:30****  
Nathan and Jake are there, waiting for Lucas.

Lucas enters and approaches them.

"What's up Luke?" asks Nathan.

"Yeah," says Jake, concerned. "What's the big emergency?"

"Please, sit," says Lucas, as they all sit on the bleachers.

Lucas looks at both Nathan and Jake, who have concerned expressions on their faces.

"Guys, fighting for my life has opened to my eyes to a lot of things and made me realize that I have to be honest about something," says Lucas, forming each word carefully. "I have HCM."

"What?" asks Jake, his eyes widening. "You can't be serious."

"Unfortunately I am," says Lucas, not sure of what else to say.

"Luke," says Nathan, in surprise. "You've had it all this time?"

"Yeah," says Lucas, guiltily.

"You've could've killed yourself by playing basketball," says Jake.

"I guess that explains how you played," says Nathan, leaning forward. "You took a really big risk Luke."

"I know," says Lucas, nodding his head. "I was on my medicine and I thought I would somehow be able to handle it but after getting shot and fighting to survive, I realize that nothing is worth risking my life for. Not even basketball."

"You know you gotta tell Whitey, right?" asks Jake, stating the obvious.

"I already did," says Lucas, reassuringly. "Now I just have to tell Peyton and my mom."

Nathan puts his hand on Lucas' shoulder. "It'll be all right, Lucas. They love you and they'll understand."

"Thanks guys," says Lucas, smiling.

"Of course," says Jake, smiling.

"I'm gonna go," says Lucas, getting up. "I'll catch you guys later."

"Good Luck," calls Jake, as Lucas exits the gym.

Nathan and Jake look at each other, both thinking the same thing. They want Lucas to be ok. HCM is no joke.

****Scott Home-4:00****  
Karen is standing on the front porch, having just rung the doorbell.

Deb opens the front door, surprised to see Karen.

"Karen," says Deb, surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?"

"I really need to talk to you," says a distressed Karen.

"Of course," says a concerned Deb, ushering her inside. "Come in."

They enter the living room and Karen sits down on the couch.

She breaks down crying while Deb picks up a pill bottle from the coffee table, unbeknownst to Karen.

"What's the matter, Karen?" asks Deb sitting on the coffee table across from her and slipping the pill bottle into her back pocket.

"I'm pregnant," says Karen, wiping away her tears.

"Wow," says Deb, a bit shocked. "And that's a bad thing?"

"Yes, no, I don't know," says Karen, shaking her head. "Deb, I'm not ready to have another child. Andy and I aren't ready. We've just started to re-build our relationship."

"What do you wanna do?" asks Deb, sympathetically.

"I don't know," says Karen, breaking down in tears.

Deb, unsure of what to say, pulls Karen in for a hug, to comfort her.

She thinks about the pills in her back pocket. At least Karen was too upset to notice.

****Tree Hill Courtyard-5:30****  
Bryce is sitting at one of the tables, listening to his IPod and working on his homework. But he can't really concentrate on his homework as his mind keeps wandering back to Haley.

Bryce sighs as he feels a hand on his shoulder.

He turns around and sees Brooke.

"Hey Brooke," says Bryce, taking his headphones out of his ears.

"Hey Bryce," as she sits down next to him at the table.

"What's up?" asks Bryce, nervously tapping his pencil. Brooke's Haley's best friend and he's sure Haley told her what happened when Bryce went to see her.

"Nothing," says Brooke, trying to get a read on Bryce. "I was just finishing up the cheerleading schedule and posting it on the bulletin board when I saw you sitting over here."

"Oh, yeah," says Bryce, still wondering whether or not Haley told Brooke what happened between them. "Just working on some homework."

"Are you sure you're ok?" asks Brooke, concerned. "You look kinda sad."

"I could be better," says Bryce, shrugging his shoulders. "Yesterday wasn't exactly the best day of my life."

"Yeah," says Brooke, sympathetically. "Haley told me what happened. I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," says Bryce, faking a smile.

"For what it's worth," says Brooke, trying to make Bryce feel better. "Haley feels awful; she knows she hurt you when she told you how she feels about Nathan. She never meant to hurt you and she's very sorry."

"I know," says Bryce, trying to look on the bright side. "But, hey, you win some and you lose some, right?"

"Yeah," says Brooke, unsure of what to say.

"I'll be ok," says Bryce, looking down sadly. "It's just gonna take some time."

"Hey," says Brooke, coming up with an idea. "Why don't we go to the movies and hang out for a couple of hours? Maybe it'll help you feel better."

"Thanks Brooke," says Bryce, looking at her. "But I don't need a pity hang out."

"It's not a pity hang out," Brooke assures him. "I want to hang out with you."

"If you're sure," says Bryce, sheepishly.

"I'm sure," says Brooke, smiling as she gets up and grabs Bryce's hand. "Now grab your books and let's go.

Bryce laughs as he grabs his books and he and Brooke head off together to hang out.

****Sawyer Home-6:00****  
Peyton is sitting on the couch, watching some television.

The doorbell rings.

"Come in," calls Peyton, focusing on the episode of 'Desperate Housewives' that she is watching. "Oh, yeah, Bree, you let that son of a bitch have it."

The door opens and Peyton looks up to see a distressed Lucas enter.

"Hey Luke," says Peyton, taking notice of his expression. "What's wrong?"

"Peyton," says Lucas, sitting next to her on the couch. "You know I love you, right?"

"Of course I do," says Peyton, really worried. "You're scaring me Luke, what's going on?"

"Peyton…" starts Lucas, unsure of how to say this. "I have HCM."

Peyton's eyes widen and single tears form. "Luke, you can't be serious."

"I'm serious Peyton. I am so sorry but I've had it this whole time," says Lucas, distraught.

Peyton buries her head in her hands, tears flowing. "I can't believe this. Lucas I love you, I can't lose you. Not now, we just got together."

"Hey," says Lucas, lifting her head to make her look at him. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm on my medicine and I'm done with basketball. Everything's gonna be fine. I love you and I'm always gonna be here with you."

"I'd be devastated if I ever lost you," says Peyton, through tears.

"Peyton," says a teary-eyed Lucas, grabbing her hands. "I promise you that you are not gonna lose me. I love you too much to ever leave you."

"I love you so much Luke," says Peyton, hot tears spewing.

Lucas pulls Peyton into a comforting hug.

****La Pallina-7:00****  
Andy, wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks, and Karen, wearing a beautiful black dress with her hair down and gold earrings, are seated at a table in this very elegant restaurant, which is dimly light and has beautiful paintings on the wall. There is a bottle of champagne on their table as well as two candles.

"This place is beautiful," says Andy, looking around.

"It is," says a preoccupied Karen. Her mind is still on her pregnancy.

"I propose a toast," says Andy, as he lifts up his glass of champagne and Karen does the same. "To us."

"To us," says a smiling Karen, as Andy takes a sip of his champagne and Karen puts her glass to her lips but does not take a sip.

Andy signals to the violinist and he walks over to the table and begins playing a beautiful song.

Karen smiles at the violinist, while Andy proceeds to get down on one knee.

"Andy, what are you doing?" asks a surprised Karen, looking around.

Andy pulls the velvet box out of his pocket and opens it to reveal the ring. "Karen Roe, you are the most special woman in this world. I love you with all my heart and all my soul and you make me happier than I ever thought possible. Will you marry me?"

Karen stares at him, shocked. "Andy, I'm pregnant."

"What?" asks Andy, not believing his ears.

"I'm pregnant," repeats Karen.

A flustered Andy sits back in his chair and takes a sip of his water. "The hits just keep on coming."

Karen looks at him, knowing they need to talk.

****Roe Home-7:45****  
Lucas is sitting in the living room, deep in thought. So far today, he has told Whitey, Keith and Jules, Nathan, Jake, and Peyton about his having HCM. Now, only his mom and Andy were left. He didn't wanna spoil their night, though, considering he knows Andy's proposing, so he was gonna tell them tomorrow.

Andy and Karen walk through the front door, silently.

"Hey," calls Lucas.

"Hi," says a distracted Karen, walking into the kitchen.

Andy closes the door and looks at Lucas. "It didn't happen."

"Why?" asks Lucas, upset. "What happened?"

"Apparently your mom's pregnant," says Andy, looking towards the kitchen. "So, when I was proposed, she told me."

The phone rings.

"I got it," calls Karen.

"Wow," says Lucas, at a loss of words. "What are you guys gonna do?"

"I don't know," says Andy, sounding unsure. "We came home right after that. Your mom wasn't up for dinner."

Lucas gets up from the couch and walks into the kitchen, followed by Andy.

They enter to find Karen sitting at the kitchen table, crying.

"Mom, what's wrong?" asks Lucas, concerned.

"That was Keith," says Karen, clearly upset. "He wanted to know if I had the number of the doctor to find out more about your HCM."

Lucas' eyes widen.

"Lucas, do you have HCM?" asks Karen, wiping away her tears.

"Yes," says Lucas, taking a deep breath. "I am so sorry, mom. I meant to tell you but I've had HCM this whole time."

"I can't believe this," says Karen, tears flowing. "How…how could you do this to me? And more importantly to yourself? You took such a huge risk by continuing to play basketball. You could've killed yourself."

"I am so sorry, mom," says Lucas, single tears dripping down his face.

Andy begins to approach the table but Karen stops him.

"No," says Karen, firmly. "Leave me alone. Both of you."

She silently gets up, walks out of the kitchen and into her bedroom, slamming the door shut.

Lucas turns around to face Andy. "I'm so sorry, Andy. I didn't mean for it to happen like this. I didn't mean to lie to you guys for so long and I certainly didn't mean to make my mom so upset."

"It's ok," says Andy, reassuringly. "I understand why you did what you did. And besides, it's not just this that your mom's upset over. She's pregnant so add her hormones to my proposal to all of this and that's what's gotten to her. She'll get over it, she just needs time."

"I hope," says Lucas, as he sits himself at the kitchen table and Andy heads into the living room.

Lucas sighs and puts his head in his hands. Everyone knows about his HCM now and while it's important, he's most concerned about his mom. Would she be ok?

Author's Note: Wow, what a chapter! Major stuff going on! I hope you enjoyed it! So much going on, so much more still to come! What's going to happen next? Chapter 50, coming soon! Stay tuned! In the meantime, please REVIEW!


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